MP Katie Lam Visits Iden Manor Nursing Home To Discuss Future Of Social Care

Umbreen David MD of Hoama Group and the team at Iden Manor Nursing Home were delighted to welcome Weald of Kent MP Katie Lam for an afternoon visit on Thursday.

During her time at Iden, Katie was given a tour of the home and its beautiful Victorian setting, hearing about the building’s history and how it was acquired and sensitively converted into a care home by the David family in 2003. Today, Iden Manor provides 51 residential, nursing, and dementia care beds to the local community.

The visit included afternoon tea with resident representative Janice, giving Katie the chance to see firsthand the home’s warmth, values, and strong sense of community.
Discussions focused on the current challenges facing the sector, including the disproportionate impact of recent National Insurance threshold changes, tightening local authority funding, and the urgent need for a more sustainable funding model for social care. Umbreen, who is also a member of the Kent Integrated Care Alliance (KICA), highlighted the importance of more joined-up working between care providers and NHS partners to support system resilience and local health outcomes.

The team also shared plans for Meadow View, Iden’s upcoming new-build development, and the positive contribution it will make to local services, jobs, and specialist care provision.

There was a wider conversation around the importance of raising the public profile of social care in a more positive, human light, with a focus on community links and the potential of intergenerational collaboration to foster greater awareness and understanding.

Umbreen David, Managing Director of Iden Manor, said:
“It was a privilege to host our local MP. Visits like this mean a great deal to staff, just knowing our work is seen and valued. I’m hopeful that the challenges we shared will help shape stronger, fairer policies for our sector.”

[Katie Lam MP], Member of Parliament for the Weald of Kent, said:
“It was wonderful to visit Iden Manor and see the outstanding care the team provide every day. My grandfather had dementia, so I know how frightening the disease can be, but homes like this show just how much difference compassion, expertise, and a strong sense of community can make. Good social care is essential to families up and down the country, and I’m grateful to the team at Iden for the vital work they do every day”