ABOUT A1 CARE

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A1 Care - Who are We

About A1 Care - Your Local Home Care Provider

At A1 Care, we believe there is truly no place like home. We are an award-winning domiciliary and live-in care provider, delivering high-quality, person-centred care to individuals and families across Dorset and Northern Ireland.

We are a family business at heart, built on strong values, trust, and genuine relationships. We treat every client and every employee as a full part of the A1 Care family — with care, respect, and understanding. This family-led approach shapes everything we do and is reflected in the long-standing relationships we have built over the years. Many of our clients have been with us since the very beginning, which speaks to the consistency, compassion, and reliability of our service.

Our quality and standards are recognised not only by the families we support, but also by the local authorities who trust and rely on us to deliver care on their behalf. We currently hold contracts with BCP Council, Dorset Council, Hampshire County Council, and Wiltshire Council, working in close partnership to support people safely in their own homes.

Our head office is based in Bournemouth, supported by two satellite offices in Dorchester and Lisburn, allowing us to remain locally present, responsive, and closely connected to the communities we serve.

Our dedicated care teams are passionate about supporting people to live safely and independently at home. Every care package is carefully tailored to the individual, with dignity, respect, choice, and independence at the heart of our care delivery.

We are proud to have received four consecutive Homecare Awards, recognising our commitment to excellence, consistency, and continuous improvement. We also embrace innovation and technology to enhance care quality, communication, and safety — a forward-thinking approach recognised through our Care Innovation Award nomination.

With strong leadership, robust governance, and an unwavering attention to detail, A1 Care continues to set high standards in home care. Families choose us because they want a provider they can trust — one that treats them like family, listens carefully, and delivers care they can truly rely on.

A1 Care receiving multiple Homecare.co.uk Top 20 Awards and Care Innovator recognition for outstanding domiciliary home care services in Bournemouth, Dorset and Hampshire

BOURNEMOUTH 📞 Main Line 01202 122 022, 📩 [email protected]

Veronica De Crescenzo

Welfare Officer

I moved over to England from Italy. I started off my career in the catering industry to help improve my English which helped me immensely.

I then felt confident to further develop my skills and branch out into the care industry. I became a care support worker over 16 years ago which I thoroughly enjoyed. Whilst in this post I completed my NVQ level 3.

I went on the change companies and was employed as a senior carer. I completed my team leader NVQ and care certificate assessors’ award. I was responsible for completing reviews, spot checks, and assessing new carers’ care certificates, including observations. Also addressing and issues with the client care plans.

It was within this role I developed my managerial skills and established a natural talent. I assisted with the development of an effective induction program which helped ensure the professional development of each employee. I worked closely with social workers, occupational therapists, council brokerage teams, and other health care professionals. I had a proven ability to monitor and review care packages.

When I joined A1 Care I was employed as a Care Certificate Assessor and supervisor, my role was gradually developed to my skills and I am now the Welfare Manager. I am incredibly happy in this role as it gives me a happy balance of managing the carers and being in regular contact with our clients.

Mark Piper

Business Developer

As a Business Developer at A1 Care, I am committed to fostering meaningful growth by identifying new opportunities to support private clients and by building trusted, lasting relationships within our community.

In close collaboration with our dedicated care team and management, I work to promote our services, expand our local presence, and ensure more individuals and families receive the high-quality, compassionate care they deserve. Beyond business development, I take pride in giving back to the community through local initiatives, charitable partnerships, and incentive programs that reflect our values of kindness, inclusion, and social responsibility.

Every step I take is grounded in a shared purpose: to enhance lives, uplift our community, and contribute to the long-term success and heart of A1 Care.

Csaba Gyarfas

Finance Manager

Through my work experience, I’ve had proven to be mature and reliable, with minimal flaws and who inspires the people around, with a strong focus and degree in management and economy.

I accumulated professional work experience working alongside other managers to plan and direct the work of the organization, in different departments to gain perspective, including marketing, sales, customer services, purchasing, merchandising, and personnel departments. Handled and established accounts to gain familiarity.

Participated with the management board in interviewing, hiring, and training employees. Use company reports to analyze sales, gross profit, and inventory. Worked with and through management to develop and implement actions that protect company assets and profitability.

I productively and efficiently plan my priorities and strategically waste no time. I maintain positive relationships between all staff and customers in both high & low-volume, fast & slow-paced operations. I joined the A1 Care team due to a change of circumstances happening worldwide during the pandemic, affecting my professional development, I understood straight away that I will need to start and readapt to a new industry.

I started my employment as a care support worker, from the beginning of my employment I realized that having my vast experience in a different industry is not going to pause or affect my development and progress as a professional or individual, on contrary this industry will give me the opportunity to use or transfer all my skills that accumulated over the years, providing me a much better work-life balance. My mature and reliable approach from the beginning of my employment as a care support worker, lead me to CARE and liaise, communicate really efficiently and accurately between the management board, service users, and my care support worker colleagues. After 3 months’ probationary period, spent on the front line and leading by example, I’ve had been invited into an interview by the management board, and have had offered the Finance Administrator position.
The position which I’ve had proudly accepted and felt comfortable with. Possessing a combined analytical and intuitive approach to strategy development and implementation, I was overseeing the financial activities of the business, administrative and clerical tasks, being responsible for the accounts of the organization, also perform budget and payroll dealing, inventory management, invoicing, and customer service.

After a period of six months as a finance administrator, I slowly started to implement my well-developed abilities to identify, analyze and mitigate risks, map out decision-making processes and deliver solutions to the management board.

All of these excellent track records of leadership, interpersonal skills, and effective team management based on trust, integrity, and transparency, leads me to my most recent promotion, as A1 Care Finance Manager

Gill Sutton

Registered Manager

Having recently joined the A1 Care family  I have been super impressed with the genuine kindness and empathy I have witnessed by so many of the team. My aim is to  ensure we make a real difference in people’s lives and I am excited to be part of a team that shares my values and passion for care.
My journey in care began with caring for a loved one who faced end of life with cancer. This experience opened my eyes to the importance of compassionate care and inspired me to pursue a career in this field. My experience has always been in the local area predominantly within domiciliary care.
I am passionate about empowering individuals to live their best lives and know that with the team at A1 Care we can make a positive difference.
Ami Hobday

Director of Operations

I am a passionate and dedicated professional with a strong work ethic. I pride myself on my excellent communication skills and empathetic approach to my role. My extensive experience in the healthcare industry has equipped me with invaluable skills and knowledge.

I love my role because it allows me to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Being able to support and care for individuals in their time of need is incredibly rewarding. Knowing that I can bring comfort, improve their quality of life, and see the positive impact I have on their well-being fills me with immense satisfaction.

I am committed to maintaining high standards and quality in everything I do. I am open-minded, enjoy new challenges, and always take the time to support those who need me. I have successfully worked in various settings, including residential, domiciliary, complex care, live-in, extra care, and reablement, for the UK's largest care provider and other organisations.

“Caring for others is the ultimate form of kindness.”

Sergiu Calauz

Founder & CEO

Why I Started A1 Care

For more than two decades, my professional life has been centred around people. Through running my own recruitment and HR businesses, I have had the privilege of guiding thousands of individuals as they made decisions that would shape their careers and their futures.

Working closely with the healthcare sector during that time gave me a clear insight into one simple truth: the quality of care delivered to clients depends first and foremost on the people providing it.

That understanding became the foundation of A1 Care, a home care provider built on the belief that compassionate, well-supported carers deliver the best care possible.

Putting People at the Heart of Care

From the very beginning, I believed that exceptional home care services start by looking after the people who deliver them. When carers feel respected, supported, and valued, something remarkable happens.

They bring warmth, dedication, and pride into their work. They build genuine relationships with the people they support. They notice the small details that truly matter. And they go the extra mile to ensure every client feels safe, respected, and cared for with dignity.

That is the kind of care every family hopes their loved ones will receive.

At A1 Care, our carers and the team around them are at the heart of everything we do. Our role as an organisation is to create an environment where they can thrive — professionally, personally, and emotionally — because when our team feels supported and valued, the care they provide becomes something truly special.

There Is No Place Like Home

Our mission has always been guided by a simple belief: there is no place like home.

Home is where people feel most comfortable, most independent, and most themselves. For many families across Bournemouth, Dorset, and the South West, remaining at home while receiving professional care is the most dignified and reassuring option.

Supporting people to remain in the place they love — surrounded by familiarity, independence, and dignity — is at the heart of everything we do.

Combining Compassion with Innovation

Alongside this people-first philosophy, we have also embraced innovation and technology to support our mission.

My extensive background in Human Resources, together with degrees in Economics and IT, has always guided the way I build organisations: data-driven, efficient, and forward-thinking.

By combining genuine human compassion with smart systems, digital tools, and environmentally responsible technology, we ensure that the care we provide is not only personal, but also modern, transparent, and continuously improving.

This approach allows us to deliver high-quality home care services while supporting both clients and families with greater clarity, communication, and reassurance.

Why the Name A1 Care?

The name A1 Care reflects a simple ambition that has guided us from the very beginning:

to strive to be the very best local home care provider and to deliver the highest possible standard of care to the communities we serve.

Every day, our team works with dedication to live up to that commitment.

Trusted by Families

What makes me most proud, however, is that this philosophy has been validated not by us, but by the people who matter most — our clients and their families.

Their genuine feedback and heartfelt reviews have helped A1 Care become an award-winning home care provider, recognised among the Top 20 Home Care Providers in South West England for four consecutive years.

For us, this recognition is not simply an award — it is a reflection of the trust families place in our team.

A Promise to Every Family

Choosing care for someone you love is never an easy decision. It often comes at a time when families are facing uncertainty, emotional stress, and the responsibility of ensuring their loved one receives the dignity and support they deserve.

At A1 Care, we never forget the trust that families place in us when they invite us into their homes and into the lives of the people they care about most.

It is a responsibility we carry with humility and deep respect.

Our promise is simple, but deeply meaningful:

  • We will always place people at the heart of everything we do.

  • We will support your loved ones with compassion, dignity, and respect.

  • We will carefully select and support carers who truly care.

  • And we will do everything in our power to help people remain safe, independent, and happy in their own home.

Because truly, there is no place like home.

A Simple Belief That Guides Us

A1 Care was built on a simple belief:

When you take care of your people, they will take care of everyone else.

That belief continues to guide everything we do today.

— Sergiu Calauz

Founder & CEO, A1 Care

DORCHESTER 📞 01305 595929, 📩 [email protected]

LISBURN 📞 02892 900001, 📩 [email protected]

Sorina Puscas

Registered Manager

I'm pround to be the Registered Manager at A1 Care Lisburn, where I lead the launch and day-to-day operations of our newest branch, located in the heart of Lisburn on historic Castle Street.

I have over ten years’ experience in health and social care, having progressed from hands-on care roles into senior leadership. Throughout my career, one principle has remained constant: great care starts with great people.

My journey with A1 Care began in Bournemouth, where I managed our first branch and played a key role in building strong foundations for the organisation’s growth across Dorset. During this time, we achieved consistently positive outcomes, including improved staff retention, high team morale, strong compliance standards, and excellent client satisfaction.

As the organisation expanded, I also supported the development of new offices in Wareham — later becoming our training facility — and Dorchester. Both locations grew into successful, sustainable services, deeply rooted in their local communities.

Now, at A1 Care Lisburn, I’m proud to bring the same values and standards to Northern Ireland. From our new office in a restored heritage building within the Lisburn Conservation Area, we are combining professional excellence with a strong local presence. We care deeply about the people we support, and the communities we are part of.

I am particularly passionate about building strong, person-centred care teams, embedding best practice and regulatory compliance in line with RQIA and NISCC, and working closely with local health and community partners. Creating a supportive workplace culture where compassion, professionalism, and accountability thrive is at the heart of everything I do.

I’m always happy to connect with care professionals, community organisations, and local partners who share our values and commitment to delivering high-quality care.

Tiffany Mcclurer

Deputy Manager

I bring nearly 30 years of experience across hospital, community, and home care services, with a strong focus on delivering safe, high-quality, and person-centred care that supports people to live independently in their own homes.

In my role as Care Team Leader, I am responsible for the setup and ongoing management of care packages. This includes completing initial care consultations, developing and reviewing care plans and risk assessments, and working closely with scheduling and care teams to ensure care is consistent, responsive, and tailored to each individual’s needs.

Previously, I worked within the Health and Social Care Trust as a Community Falls Assessor, supporting individuals who had experienced a fall or were at risk of falling. This involved completing in-home assessments, making appropriate referrals, and delivering strength and balance programmes to help people maintain confidence, mobility, and independence. I also have extensive experience in acute hospital settings, where I developed strong clinical awareness and a meticulous approach to safe care delivery.

I am highly organised, detail-focused, and value clear communication. I work closely with clients, families, and colleagues to ensure care is delivered with dignity, respect, and compassion at all times.

I am proud to contribute to a service that places people at the heart of everything it does and is committed to delivering reliable, high-quality care.

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