Bridgehead Communications
Portrait of Sam Monaghan
Photo: the group’s website

LARGE GROUP/72 HOMES

Sam Monaghan

Chief Executive Officer, MHA

Sam Monaghan has been Chief Executive of the charity MHA (Methodist Homes) since February 2018. Social worker by training; formerly at Barnardo's.

BIOGRAPHY

Sam Monaghan is Chief Executive of MHA (Methodist Homes), the charity that runs care homes, retirement living schemes and community services for older people across Britain. He took the role in February 2018. MHA describes itself as a charity supporting more than 17,000 older people, and the Bridgehead Power List counts 72 MHA care homes.

Monaghan trained as a social worker, qualifying in 1988 after an earlier career as a graphic designer. He spent about 15 years in local authority social services, including service management in safeguarding and audit at Leicestershire County Council from 1994 and a children's services district manager post at Warwickshire County Council from 2000. In 2003 he moved to Action for Children as Deputy Director for the West Midlands.

He joined Barnardo's in 2006 as Midlands Regional Director. In 2013 he became Corporate Director of Children's Services (LinkedIn gives the title as Executive Director UK Children's Services) and held that post until he left for MHA at the start of 2018. He holds an MBA from the University of Leicester.

At MHA he has focused on residential care, retirement living and community services, and on dementia and end of life care, chaplaincy and music therapy. He led the charity through the Covid-19 pandemic; in April 2020 he wrote an open letter to Methodists asking for support in securing protective equipment and testing for MHA staff and residents, and in 2021 he signed the National Care Forum's open letter to Cabinet ministers on sector funding.

Monaghan sits on the board of ARCO, the trade body for housing-with-care providers, and on the advisory council of the Social Care Foundation. He writes regularly for MHA's blog on reform of adult social care. In July, August and September 2026 he published three posts responding to Prime Minister Andy Burnham's plans for the sector, and in September 2026 UNISON circulated his warning against driving away migrant care workers. He argues that funding for social care should reach providers directly rather than pass through local authorities, a point he made on the Newcross Healthcare Voices of Care podcast in April 2025.

About MHA. MHA (Methodist Homes) is a registered charity (no. 1083995) that runs care homes, retirement living and community services, and says it has supported families for more than 80 years. It is a member of the National Care Forum. See its rank and history

CAREER

  1. FEB 2018 – NOW

    Chief Executive · MHA (Methodist Homes) NOW

  2. CURRENT

    Board member · ARCO (Associated Retirement Community Operators)

  3. CURRENT

    Advisory council member · Social Care Foundation

  4. JAN 2013 – JAN 2018

    Corporate Director of Children's Services · Barnardo's

  5. MAR 2006 – DEC 2012

    Regional Director, Midlands · Barnardo's

  6. MAR 2003 – FEB 2006

    Deputy Director, West Midlands · Action for Children

  7. OCT 2000 – MAR 2003

    Children's Services District Manager · Warwickshire County Council

  8. APR 1994 – OCT 2000

    Service Manager, Safeguarding and Audit · Leicestershire County Council

ARTICLES, INTERVIEWS AND APPEARANCES

COUNTED FOR THE RANKING

1 article in the twelve months to 6 October 2026 (1 trade).