About us
About Us - Residential Care Home
About us
Redefining What Exceptional Care Can Be.
Southern Healthcare is a family-run organisation with four highly rated and distinctive nursing homes across Devon. For over two decades, we’ve been united by one simple belief: that outstanding care goes far beyond meeting needs — it’s about enriching lives.
Founded in 2001 by Geoffrey Cox, a respected leader in social care, and his wife Margot Whittaker,a registered nurse, Southern Healthcare has grown from a shared vision into a pioneering care group known for its warmth, innovation, and humanity. Together, Geoffrey and Margot and their team have become passionate advocates for positive change within the care sector, both locally and nationally — championing a future where care is not only professional, but deeply personal.
What we do
Caring With Purpose, Compassion And Connection.
At Southern Healthcare, our mission is simple: to make every day meaningful. We do this by nurturing caring relationships, celebrating individuality, and supporting the wellbeing of every one in our homes.
Our teams are highly trained both clinically and emotionally — blending skill, empathy, and genuine dedication. We explain and share with all members of our team the importance of our commitment to enhancing quality of life, promoting independence, and ensuring that residents and their families feel truly at home.
We wholeheartedly embrace the ethos of person-centred care, inspired by the humanistic philosophy of Carl Rogers, who championed “the way of being” — an approach rooted in empathy, authenticity, and respect. We also draw inspiration from thought leaders such as Tony Robbins, David Sheard, Joyce Simard, Naomi Feil, and Bill Thomas, all of whom have shaped modern, compassionate approaches to care through loving connection.
This blend of ideas and influences creates a culture that always puts the person first. By focusing on what gives each individual meaning, joy, and purpose, we nurture not just wellbeing — but a genuine sense of belonging and happiness.
At Southern Healthcare, we are redefining what care feels like — making every moment matter, every relationship meaningful, and every life as rich and fulfilling as it can be.
Training academy
The Southern Healthcare Training Academy at Eden House in Dawlish delivers innovative training in wellbeing and person-centred philosophies such as the Eden Alternative and other ‘cutting edge’ residential nurse training courses, as well as many other courses that explores the importance of wellbeing and exemplary care for residents and their families.
Our training is available both to our own team and other like minded Providers from our training facilities in the centre of Dawlish, at Eden House, The Strand, Dawlish.
The Eden Alternative
Redefining Care, Enriching Lives.
The Eden Alternative is a groundbreaking philosophy of care, founded in 1994 by Dr. Bill Thomas, that has transformed the way care is understood and delivered around the world. Unlike traditional models, which often focus primarily on medical tasks, the Eden Alternative places wellbeing, purpose, and connection at the heart of care — for residents, families, and care teams alike.
At its core, the philosophy challenges conventional perceptions of residential and nursing care. It moves away from institutional, hospital-like approaches and embraces a relationship-centred, inclusive, and empowering model. Here, residents are encouraged to live fully, the team feel valued and engaged, and families are welcomed as partners in daily life.
A Philosophy Of Life, Not Just Care
The Eden Alternative is founded on a belief that ageing is not necessarily a period of decline, but a continuing stage of growth, contribution, and meaning. It provides a framework for care that prioritises joy, purpose, and connection while actively working to eliminate loneliness, helplessness, and boredom.
Through its ten guiding principles and seven domains of wellbeing, the Eden Alternative encourages the organisation to:
- Empower residents to direct their own daily lives as much as possible
- Foster meaningful relationships between residents, team members and families
- Support leadership, personal growth, and positive cultural change
- Create a vibrant, flexible environment where everyone feels included, valued, and safe
Impact And Innovation
Organisations that embrace the Eden Alternative consistently see remarkable results:
- Improved quality of life for residents, with more opportunities for engagement and self-direction
- Higher team satisfaction and retention, thanks to a culture of respect and empowerment
- Reduced reliance on medication, as residents’ physical, emotional, and social needs are met more holistically
Its adaptability means the Eden Alternative can flourish in a wide range of care settings — from residential and nursing homes to specialised dementia care — and across diverse cultural environments.
At Southern Healthcare, we are proud to champion the Eden Alternative in the UK. Geoffrey Cox, our MD, and Margot Whittaker, our Director of Nursing, sit on the UK board, helping guide and inspire organisations to “Edenise” their approach and create care environments where life is lived fully, every day.
In Essence:
The Eden Alternative isn’t just a model of care — it’s a movement to restore joy, dignity, and purpose to the lives of those living in care. It empowers people to thrive, not just survive, and transforms homes into places of connection, vitality, and meaning for all people within the environment.
Who we are
Geoffrey Cox Llb
Managing Director
MSc Dementia Studies - Southern Healthcare
Margot Whittaker RGN
Director of Nursing and Compliance
BSc, Dip HS, Master NLP Prac
Emma Seal RGN
Registered Manager & Deputy Director of Nursing and Compliance
The Seaton Nursing Home
Gabriela (Mimi) Ogreanu
Registered Manager
Sefton Hall Nursing Home
Lorna Smith
Registered Manager
Parkwood House Nursing Home
Kerry Dempsey
Home Manager
The Old Rectory Nursing Home
Alan Hall
Financial Controller
Devon Care Homes Collaborative
Southern Healthcare is very proud to be a founding member of the Devon Care Homes Collaborative.
The collaborative succeeded the Devon Care Homes Kitemark Group by expanding its reach to include homes in Torbay and Plymouth and is dedicated to enhancing standards of care and the quality of life for the residents in Devon care homes. This now stretches to 75% of all homes in Devon.
Covid 19 safe
Southern Healthcare is as committed to keeping people Covid safe as it is to raising the quality of life of residents within our Homes. In each Home our team collectively works well together for the benefit of our residents, ensuring that days are filled with meaningful activities, loving companionship and spontaneous kindness and fun.
Join Our Team
Who We’re Looking For
We want passionate, fun-loving care and nursing professionals who see their work as more than a job — people who want to make a real difference in the lives of older people and be part of a supportive, forward-looking team.
At Southern Healthcare, you’ll find more than employment — you’ll find fulfilment, growth, and the joy of knowing your work truly matters. We are proud to have a team consistently recognised for the exceptional care they provide, and we can’t wait to welcome the next member of our family.
Where Care Meets Purpose, Passion And Possibility.
At Southern Healthcare, we don’t just provide care — we nurture talent, inspire growth, and create a workplace where everyone thrives. Across our four distinctive homes — The Old Rectory in Exeter, Parkwood House in Plymouth, The Seaton Nursing Home in Seaton, and Sefton Hall in Dawlish — we share a single, powerful ethos: close, meaningful relationships between our team, residents and families make our homes happy places for everyone.
Our passion starts at the top. Geoffrey Cox, MD, and Margot Whittaker, Director of Nursing, are dedicated to raising standards across nursing and residential care. Together, they helped found the Devon Kite Mark, a benchmark of best practice in the industry.
Margot has a keen interest in nurse development, and has written along with a university, an Advanced Diploma for Adult Social Care Nurses, which is now a programme that can be accessed nationally. Further courses are also being written by her to support and encourage others in the sector. Both Geoffrey and Margot are very committed to supporting ongoing development of all roles within social care and provide training over a range of subjects.
On a more personal note, Geoffrey brings joy to our homes by performing live music with his band most Fridays, showing that care and fun go hand in hand.
Why You'll Lobe Working Here
We are a friendly, dynamic, and forward-thinking team. Everything we do revolves around enriching the lives of our residents — from creative activities, themed events, and trips to animal therapy and family-inclusive celebrations. If our residents can dream it, we find a way to make it happen — and our team is at the heart of that magic.
We invest in our people with competitive pay, bonuses, long service rewards, and bespoke training to develop skills and enhance careers. But more than that, we offer a stimulating, person-centred environment where teamwork, wellbeing, and professional growth are just as important as the care we provide.
If you have aspiration to progress your career in social care, we will support you to realise your ambitions. Many of our team members have wished to advance their career whilst working for us. We have supported people with training, mentorship and/or offered opportunities to undertake academic studies which has supported them to secure career progression and internal promotion within within Southern Healthcare.
