In this episode, we are joined by a familiar voice at MacIntyre: Nicola Payne, former podcast host and now Best Practice Manager, to talk about her 20-year journey with the organisation and the launch of an ambitious new way of working, the Innovation Hub.

Nicola reflects on starting out as a support worker in Milton Keynes moving through roles in our community coffee shop, dementia-focused project work, family engagement, and eventually into strategic best practice. A clear thread runs through her story: learning. From picking up new skills on the frontline to seeking out specialist knowledge and bringing it back into practice, Nicola describes a career shaped by curiosity and courage.

The conversation then turns to the Innovation Hub, a dedicated space designed to help MacIntyre focus on change more deliberately and collaboratively. Rather than lots of disconnected initiatives happening in parallel, the Hub provides a structured, joined-up approach to projects, allowing ideas to be tested, refined, and learned from (even when things don’t go quite to plan). Nicola is open about the importance of allowing room for mistakes, reflection, and honesty, and how this culture of trust underpins improvement.

The Hub’s first major focus is self-advocacy and co-production. Nicola explains the aim to ensure that, by the end of 2026, every local area across MacIntyre has access to advocacy, creating real, everyday opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autistic people to have their voices heard and influence decision-making at all levels. She shares insights from the team’s recent roadshows, where people with lived experience have been central from the very start, helping shape the work and connecting with others across the organisation.

She also describes the value of MacIntyre's collaboration with external friends such as Beth Britton, Debs Aspland, ARC England and Learning Disability England.

In this episode we talk with MacIntyre's Cath Kelly, Area Manager in Greater Manchester.

She describes MacIntyre's successful involvement in the Homes not Hospitals initiative.

Far too many people with learning disabilities and/or mental health issues are trapped in long-stay secure hospitals, often for years, causing huge distress to the person, and at huge expense to the taxpayer.

Cath describes the way in which MacIntyre provides an alternative which works for all concerned.

In this episode to mark Safeguarding Week 2025, we're delighted to welcome Stuart Sale, the CEO of the Ann Craft Trust charity.

MacIntyre works closely with Ann Craft Trust, which was set up 30 years ago to support people with a learning disability to live full, rich lives, while remaining safe.

In this episode, Stuart discusses the way in which Ann Craft Trust supports MacIntyre and our Head of Compliance and Safeguarding, Rowan Jackson.

He describes some unusual ways in which Ann Craft Trust is focusing on "eyes and ears" in the community, using training to give roles such as park-keepers the ability to become active bystanders.

Stuart urges us all to go green for Safeguarding Week this year and start conversations about the importance of safeguarding and prevention of abuse.