Capital pains

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Mary is a supported housing manager in the north of England. She has worked in the sector for more than 20 years and is happy in a job she finds rewarding. Her residents may be elderly, have learning disabilities or mental health problems such as schizophrenia.

‘We provide accommodation where they can feel safe,’ she says. ‘The service users’ needs come first, and it is important to respect that. At the end of the day, it’s their home.’

But ask Mary about her last management position, working for a venture capital company in social care and she describes what happens when profit overrides patient care. She turns her head and rolls her eyes. ‘That company was desperate to squeeze every penny of profit out of the business,’ she says.