Chief Executive’s View The long-awaited COVID-19 Inquiry report on care homes, published on 20th October, examines the pandemic’s impact on the sector. Its central conclusion is that care was treated as an afterthought; despite knowing residents were especially vulnerable to respiratory infections, the government did not protect the sector adequately when it mattered most. Baroness Hallett was direct in her criticism of the Government, and this report clearly shows the dangers of focusing everything on the NHS, rather than on people.
IN THIS ISSUE Applications now open for free Care Workforce Pathway support programme PAGE 8 Preparing for the Plastic Wet Wipes Ban: Sustainable Hygiene Solutions for Care PAGE 28
How Mental Health Can Affect Incontinence PAGE 38
The Digital Switchover: Your Final Opportunity to Prepare Is Approaching PAGE 41
How much of what we call unavoidable could actually be prevented?
A major concern was transferring patients from hospitals to care homes during the first wave. Hospitals were under pressure to free beds, and patients were discharged without reliable testing and, in some cases, without effective isolation. This created a risk of introducing infection into homes where residents were particularly vulnerable. The report’s lesson is that future discharges must be supported by dependable testing and isolation procedures, clear guidance and sufficient staff support. In some cases, people were discharged while the NHS knew they were COVID-19 positive, but care providers were not informed and, in some cases, people’s status was misrepresented. The report also highlights how care homes lacked timely, clear and consistent guidance as the virus spread. Providers had to respond amid changing instructions and shortages of practical support, and those of us who lived through this remember constantly receiving guidance (often late on a Friday), and Care England spent the weekend making sense of it for care providers and sending it to our members. Social care was not treated as an equal partner to the NHS, and this weakened coordination between central government, local authorities, health services and care providers, and made it harder to share information or respond quickly and consistently. Residents and families paid a profound human cost. Infectioncontrol measures and visiting restrictions left many residents isolated from loved ones, sometimes in their final days. The report recognises the grief and uncertainty families experienced, as well as the pressures on care workers who continued providing support in exceptionally difficult circumstances. The findings also expose longstanding weaknesses. The system and care homes were expected to deliver complex infection control without always receiving the resources, information or support available to hospitals. The focus on the NHS and hospital care was evident in how guidance was written during the pandemic.
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Overall, the Inquiry calls for a fundamental change in preparedness. Social care should be fully included in pandemic planning and decision-making, with care providers, councils, residents and families involved. I hope this report will improve things for the future, though I am at a loss to know why it has taken six years, and hundreds of millions of pounds deposited in lawyers' pockets, to reach conclusions we already knew. The real test of this report will be when the next pandemic happens, and I sincerely hope the lessons will have been learned and social care will be at the centre of planning and decision-making.
Professor Martin Green OBE Chief Executive: Care England DH: Independent Sector Dementia Champion
Care England Conference & Exhibition 3 March 2027 Church House Conference Centre, London Limited Early Bird Tickets are on sale! Book your place now!
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Social Care Colleagues
Book your FREE winter flu jab today Book an appointment and prepare for the Flu season
Exclusive Seven- Day Pre-Booking Available from 7th July Scan the QR code or visit: boots.com/flu
Service starts October 2026, subject to availability. England and Wales only. Eligibility criteria apply. Ask our Pharmacy team for details
Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Boots Winter Flu Vaccination Booking – Now Live
The online appointment booking system Free NHS flu vaccinations are available for in-store winter flu vaccinations is now for frontline workers in social care live. settings across England and Wales. We will share further updates regarding Please see poster on the previous page, provision in Scotland once these are which includes a QR code and direct link confirmed. to the booking system. We encourage social care teams to use these details to Learning Support Available secure appointments. Our Boots Care Learning module – “Let’s Learn About Flu” – is available to support social care teams. This module offers clear, practical guidance on how flu spreads, who is most at risk, and why vaccination remains one of the most important lines of defence each winter.
For the 2026/27 flu season, Boots will be using the following inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV) for eligible adults, which have been approved for use for the NHS flu service and are in line with UKHSA recommendations: •
•
IIVc (cell-based inactivated influenza vaccine): • Who it’s for: Adults under 65 years in a clinical risk group, including frontline health and social care workers. Also recommended for adults aged 65 years and over • About the vaccine: Produced using cell culture technology rather than eggs. This can offer improved protection against the flu strains expected to circulate. IIVe (egg-based inactivated influenza vaccine): • Who it’s for: Adults under 65 years in a clinical risk group where IIVc is not suitable or not available. • About the vaccine: Manufactured using the traditional egg-based process and remains a safe and effective option for preventing flu.
Thank you for continuing to prioritise the health and wellbeing of both your teams and the people you care for. If you have any questions or require further support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at care.service@boots. co.uk
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Less time on paperwork, more time caring By Hugo de Savary, Director, Home From Home Care
Every care provider knows the pattern. A visit, handover or assessment ends, but the record waits until later. By then, staff are writing from memory, under time pressure, when that time could be spent with the people they support.
At £40 per user per month - equivalent to around £1.33 a day - it offers a practical, affordable way to reduce the paperwork burden. Designed for regulated settings, Zone Scribe is registered as a Class I medical device, with DTAC assessment and DCB0129 clinical safety documentation. Staff remain responsible for checking and approving its outputs.
At Home From Home Care, we wanted to change that for our teams, so our technology company, Actualised Living, developed Zone Scribe around the realities of health and social care.
The aim is simple: less time writing, more time caring.
Zone Scribe captures conversations during visits, assessments and handovers, then creates structured draft notes for staff to review and approve. It can also bring together information from existing records and documents, helping staff make sense of large amounts of information quickly. With Ask AI, staff can ask questions about a person or draft updates to care documentation, with the supporting sources visible.
Find out more at zonescribe.ai.
Zone Scribe is now part of daily practice in our services. A clinical lead at a residential care provider described reviewing more than 50 documents for a transition case in minutes, rather than half a day. In a trial with NHS community clinicians, documentation time fell from around ten minutes per note to closer to four. It works alongside existing care systems, helping teams prepare documentation for the systems they already use. Providers can start with individual staff members and expand as they see the benefit.
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Cybercriminals don’t care that you’re a care home Whether you’re running a care home or a café, cybercriminals don’t stop to check. That’s why the protection we arrange is built to be resilient and layered. It doesn’t only cover the financial fallout, but the emotional impact too.
When care is at the heart of what you do, safeguarding it matters. Reach out to Everywhen to find out at newcare@everywhen.co.uk or 0330 123 5144 today.
*Subject to underwriter terms and conditions. Only available as a new care home client. Everywhen is a trading name of Advisory Insurance Brokers Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 313250). Registered in England and Wales, Company No. 4043759. Registered address: 2 Minster Court, Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7PD.
25-1518 V2
Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Applications now open for free Care Workforce Pathway support programme By Skills for Care
helps create greater consistency in workforce development, supports career progression and gives employers a practical way to develop and retain their workforce.
Adult social care providers across England are being invited to apply for a free support programme designed to help organisations put the Care Workforce Pathway (the Pathway) into practice and strengthen workforce development.
“Our provider support programme gives organisations the tools, knowledge and support needed to begin using the Pathway with confidence. By the end of the programme, providers will have had the opportunity to develop a simple implementation plan, map a role category and start to make positive changes within their organisation.
Delivered by Skills for Care and fully funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, the programme will provide expert guidance, practical resources and peer learning opportunities to help providers start using the Pathway within their organisation. Applications are now open and close on 5 January 2027.
“Participants will also have the opportunity to learn from others, helping them understand what works in practice and how the framework can support their existing workforce planning and development activity. We would encourage any organisation interested in strengthening its workforce to apply.”
The Pathway is the first ever universal career structure for adult social care. It sets out the knowledge, skills, values and behaviours needed to deliver high-quality, personalised care and support, while providing clear routes for career development and progression across the sector.
To take part, organisations will nominate a Pathway lead, attend three online workshops, develop a simple plan to use the Pathway, map at least one job role against the Pathway role categories and begin making changes informed by the framework. The programme is fully funded and available to eligible adult social care providers in England.
The support programme is aimed at adult social care providers that are ready to begin or build on their use of the Pathway. It is designed to fit around dayto-day operations and includes a series of online workshops, action and reflection forums, and ongoing support to help providers turn learning into action. Through the programme, organisations will: •
get practical, guided support to start using the Pathway in their organisation;
•
find out how the Pathway can support existing workforce planning and development activity;
•
learn from organisations already using the Pathway;
•
develop practical approaches to strengthening recruitment, retention and career development.
Applications for the January 2027 programme are now open. Providers should apply by 5 January 2027. Find out more and apply now.
Lindsey Dawson, Programme Head, Engagement (Care Workforce Pathway), Skills for Care, says:
“The Care Workforce Pathway is an important framework for adult social care because it
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
New Infection Prevention and Control Environmental Sustainability Statement Care England is proud to endorse the new Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Environmental Sustainability Statement, developed and endorsed by the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and organisations from across the health and care sector.
By bringing together organisations from across the sector, the statement reinforces the importance of applying evidence-based IPC principles alongside sustainable clinical practices. Professor Martin Green OBE Chief Executive, Care England said:
IPC is fundamental to safe and effective patient care. The statement provides leadership and direction for applying evidence-based IPC principles alongside the adoption of safe, lower-carbon and circular clinical practices that achieve good value for the health system.
“Care England supports this statement because safe, evidence-based infection prevention and environmental sustainability should reinforce one another. Adult social care should challenge habitual or unnecessary single-use practice where safe alternatives are supported by evidence, while keeping the individual, the care setting and infection risk at the centre. Practical change will depend on collaboration across IPC, procurement, sustainability, waste and operational teams.”
The statement highlights how IPC provides the foundation for adopting clinical practices that support responsible resource use, environmental sustainability and supply chain resilience while maintaining patient safety.
Find out more.
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Social Care Cannot Wait By Neve McGrath, Aston Brooke Solicitors
I read a LinkedIn post by Andy Burnham in which he described the social care system as unsustainable and called for major reform. Whether a National Care Service is the answer is a debate for another day, but one thing is clear and that is social care is under increasing pressure.
duties at all times. As a result, judicial review has become increasingly important. Judicial review does not allow the court to decide whether it agrees with a Home Office decision. It looks at whether the decision was made lawfully and fairly. Whilst the courts have recognised the Home Office's broad powers to regulate sponsors, they have confirmed that public bodies must follow a fair process and properly consider the evidence before reaching a decision.
The link between social care and the NHS is obvious. When care packages cannot be put in place, people stay in hospital longer than necessary. When support is not available in the community, people often end up in hospital when earlier intervention may have prevented it. Pressure on social care inevitably creates pressure on the NHS.
The recent increase in enforcement action is a reminder that sponsor licence compliance should be treated as an ongoing priority rather than something only considered when there is a Home Office compliance visit.
Care providers continue to face workforce shortages, rising costs and increasing regulatory scrutiny. One issue becoming increasingly difficult to ignore is sponsor licence compliance. Overseas recruitment has become an important way for many care providers to fill vacancies and maintain staffing levels. However, the Home Office has taken a tougher approach to compliance in recent years. Sponsor licence suspensions and revocations have become increasingly common, particularly within the care sector.
In a sector already facing significant pressures, ensuring that the correct systems and processes are in place can make all the difference. At Aston Brooke Solicitors, we support care providers facing sponsor licence suspensions and revocations, including challenging Home Office decisions through judicial review where appropriate.
What is sometimes overlooked is the impact that a revocation can have.
Please contact us on 020 34754321 or email support@astonbrooke.co.uk.
A sponsor licence is not simply an administrative requirement. It allows businesses to sponsor Skilled Workers to fill vacancies that can be difficult to recruit for domestically. Losing a sponsor licence can affect existing sponsored workers, future recruitment plans and, ultimately, the provider's ability to deliver services. Recent case law has reinforced how important compliance has become. In R Prestwick Care Ltd v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2025] EWCA Civ 184, the Court of Appeal confirmed that where a mandatory ground for revocation exists, the Home Office is not generally required to consider the wider impact that revocation may have on the provider, its sponsored workers, service users or the wider community. The Court made clear that sponsorship is a privilege rather than a right and that providers are expected to comply with their sponsor
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
The Care Sector Recruitment Dilemma—And What Comes Next
In August, Care England and our screening partner, uCheck, hosted a roundtable event with various care providers and fellow Care England members. During this session, we heard about the struggles impacting the industry – particularly when it came to recruitment. frustrating parts of the hiring process, especially in cases where candidates have moved, or when references are needed from educational institutions – which can be difficult to reach outside of term times. Despite the necessity of referencing due diligence, this can be one of the parts of the hiring process where candidates drop out the most.
uCheck are back to talk through some of the reasons why the care sector frequently experiences issues with recruitment, and the support they offer Care England members. The landscape of the care sector According to a June 2026 report by Skills for Care, “the vacancy rate in England’s social care sector has fallen to its lowest level in a decade”, with the number of vacant posts decreasing by 10.5% (around 11,500 positions). Despite these figures, professionals across the industry repeatedly cite recruitment delays as being a core pain point within their organisations. [H2] Where does recruiting slow down?
Future solutions The consensus at the roundtable event was that Care England members would benefit most from clarity regarding references, and additional guidance from the CQC on all accepted documentation. During the session, Jack Lander, uCheck’s Business Development & Account Management Director, announced uCheck’s next big service: an employment referencing product, due to launch next year. This will allow members to source references faster, reduce time-to-hire, and maintain compliance with CQC requirements.
There are several possible bottlenecks when it comes to the recruitment process. 1. CQC requirements Within the adult social care sector, Regulation 19 is there to ensure that only ‘fit and proper persons’ are employed. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) requires ‘robust’ processes to ensure that candidates meet the requirements in Regulation 19. But vague wording can cause confusion and concerns over compliance.
Support from uCheck uCheck provides fast, simple screening services for Care England members, helping ease common issues wherever possible. And as a Care England member, you get free registration to the uCheck platform, lifetime access to their services, and exclusive discounts for checks.
2. Enhanced DBS delays The majority of job roles within the adult social care sector require Enhanced DBS checks. This involves checking with local police forces for each address an individual has lived at over the past five years. However, if a candidate has lived at multiple addresses across the country, it can take a while for all police forces to submit their information.
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Stronger Teams, Better Dementia Care: Why Workforce Development Matters Recruiting and retaining skilled care staff is a known challenge across social care. In dementia care, relationships, communication and an understanding of the individual are central to quality. Supporting your workforce is about giving them the support, knowledge, and confidence they need to deliver care that makes a genuine difference. When staff feel equipped to understand dementia and the individual and build meaningful relationships, they can provide consistent person-centred support. A positive workplace culture, where learning is encouraged and good practice is recognised, can also help staff feel valued in the work they do, building confidence and retention and reducing burnout. staff retention. When staff understand the difference their work makes, feel confident in their skills and are supported by a clear vision for care, they have stronger foundations to build fulfilling careers, which ultimately benefits the people they support, helping those living with dementia maintain their identity, dignity, relationships, and quality of life.
For care homes looking to invest in their teams and strengthen dementia care, registrations for the next NaDCAS accreditation cohort open on 1 November 2026. Register here to take the first step. Building confidence through a shared standard The National Dementia Care Accreditation Scheme (NaDCAS) supports care providers to develop, demonstrate, and sustain exceptional dementia care through a structured, supportive accreditation journey.
An opportunity to invest in your team Registrations for the next NaDCAS care home accreditation cohort open on 1st November 2026, with spaces limited. For providers, the process is an opportunity to recognise the work already taking place, strengthen practice and demonstrate their commitment to exceptional dementia care to families, commissioners and regulatory bodies like the CQC.
At its heart is the Framework for Exceptional Dementia Care, developed with leading research universities, sector experts, leading professionals and people with lived experience. It’s freely available to all care providers and offers a shared foundation for understanding what exceptional dementia care looks like in practice. Built on nine core foundations of exceptional care, the framework considers the factors that shape people's experiences.
Care England members can also receive a 10% fee credit on NaDCAS Accreditations if they sign up before 31st January 2027. Start your journey Improving dementia care requires sustained commitment, but providers don’t have to navigate that journey alone. Investing in the people who deliver care and creating the environments for them to thrive, is an important step towards a more confident workforce and better experiences for people living with dementia.
Why NaDCAS? NaDCAS Accreditation is a developmental partnership, not an assessment of performance. Dedicated expert support helps providers understand their progress and work towards meaningful improvements which helps to continuously strengthen staff confidence, encourage professional development and build a culture in which teams feel supported to learn and improve together.
To start your NaDCAS accreditation journey, Register Here, or book a 30-minute discovery call to explore the next steps.
This is important for workforce sustainability and
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Beyond filling vacancies: Why social care needs a more connected approach to workforce planning By Becky Speight, Director of Health and Social Care at Sona
Recruitment in social care is rarely straightforward. Changes in people's support needs, commissioning decisions, workforce turnover and funding pressures can all change staffing requirements, sometimes at very short notice. It's no surprise that recruitment often becomes reactive. But when every staffing gap is treated as a vacancy to fill, providers risk overlooking what's actually driving the pressure and whether recruitment is the right solution. Over the years, providers have invested in digitising recruitment, HR, scheduling, and payroll. Yet having more systems doesn't necessarily mean having better visibility. When workforce information sits across disconnected platforms, understanding existing capacity and anticipating future staffing requirements remains a challenge. The opportunity isn't simply to recruit faster or more effectively. It's to understand whether recruitment is actually the answer. That means looking beyond individual vacancies to understand the relationship between workforce capacity, the support providers are commissioned to deliver and how existing teams are being deployed. Care providers already hold valuable information about their teams, from employee turnover and contracted hours to skills, availability, absence patterns and agency usage. However, when this information is managed separately, it becomes harder to see the bigger picture. For example, recurring agency usage at a particular service might suggest a need to recruit additional staff. But a closer look at workforce data could reveal existing employees who want additional hours, opportunities to share capacity across nearby services, or underlying retention challenges contributing to the shortage. Without this visibility, providers risk recruiting to address immediate gaps without fully understanding what's driving them. The question becomes not just how quickly a vacancy can be filled, but whether recruitment is the right solution in the first place. Meaningful workforce planning starts with understanding both sides of the equation: the support an organisation is commissioned to deliver
and the workforce available to deliver it. Connecting information about commissioned hours, contracted hours, skills, availability, rostering and actual delivery gives providers a much clearer picture of where capacity genuinely exists, where pressures are emerging and what needs to change. Bringing these insights together can help providers identify patterns and anticipate future staffing requirements. For example, understanding recurring vacancies alongside turnover trends and employee availability can help leadership teams identify where recruitment is genuinely needed, rather than relying on short-term solutions. Similarly, visibility into skills, contracted hours and working preferences can reveal opportunities to make better use of existing teams, while identifying where additional training or development could strengthen future capacity. For multi-site providers, this joined-up approach can support more informed decisions about where to recruit, where to develop existing employees and how to deploy staff effectively across services. Crucially, proactive workforce planning is about more than improving efficiency or managing recruitment costs. Having the right people, with the right skills, in the right place is fundamental to delivering consistent, high-quality care. Better workforce visibility can support more stable teams, improve continuity for the people receiving support and help providers plan with greater confidence. Not every staffing gap is a recruitment problem, and not every workforce challenge can be solved by hiring more people. Sometimes the answer is recruitment, sometimes it's retention, development or better deployment, and sometimes it's addressing a mismatch between commissioned support and available capacity. The real opportunity is giving providers the visibility to understand the difference, make better decisions and build a workforce that can consistently deliver the support people need. Visit https://www.sona.ai/industries/care
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Why preparation matters in crisis management
Across the adult social care sector, leaders are being asked to do more with less. Workforce shortages, high turnover, growing regulatory expectations and increasing public scrutiny mean that many providers are operating under significant pressure. The impact of those pressures is often most visible when something goes wrong.
• •
Perhaps most importantly, crisis planning can be a powerful prevention tool. Thinking seriously about how an organisation would respond to a serious incident often helps uncover weaknesses before an incident occurs. Leadership teams frequently identify gaps in governance, reporting arrangements or operational controls through crisis simulation exercises that might otherwise only emerge after something has gone wrong.
A missing person incident, a safeguarding concern, an unexpected death, serious allegations against staff, a data breach or critical media coverage can quickly place enormous demands on an organisation's workforce. Senior leaders must make decisions at pace, managers face competing demands, and frontline staff are expected to continue delivering safe care while responding to the incident.
Preparing for a crisis is not an admission that failure is expected. It is recognition that good organisations must be ready to respond when unexpected events occur. For adult social care providers facing growing workforce and operational pressures, that preparation is becoming increasingly important.
In our experience, the difference between organisations that manage crises well and those that struggle is rarely the seriousness of the underlying incident. More often, it is the extent to which the organisation prepared for the possibility of that incident before it happened.
If you would like support with crisis management training, scenario testing or a bespoke crisis simulation exercise for your Board or senior leadership team, please contact the Regulatory team at Anthony Collins.
Many organisations have crisis management policies, but far fewer have tested them. When leadership teams take part in realistic crisis simulations, a common lesson emerges quickly. Different people hold different information, stakeholders ask different questions and assumptions can easily be mistaken for facts. Without a clear structure for decision making and communication, confusion can develop before the organisation has fully understood what has happened. Effective preparation can help providers to: • • •
maintain accurate records and decision logs; reduce the risk of premature conclusions being reached under pressure.
establish clear leadership and decisionmaking arrangements; identify who needs to be involved and when; improve communication with regulators, commissioners, families and staff;
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
More than Nutrition: The Role of Food in Creating Connection in Care Food is fundamental to health and wellbeing in care settings, but its value extends far beyond nutrition. Food is feeling. A shared meal can create conversation, evoke memories, and provide an important sense of routine and occasion.
Personalisation matters too. Food associated with someone's childhood, culture, family traditions, or significant occasions can provide familiarity and prompt conversation, particularly when catering teams work closely with care colleagues to understand residents as individuals.
For people experiencing loneliness or social isolation, these everyday opportunities for connection can be particularly valuable.
Social isolation is a complex issue, and food alone cannot address it. However, catering teams have multiple opportunities every day to help create moments of interaction, participation and belonging.
Mealtimes provide a natural point in the day for residents to come together. A welcoming dining environment can encourage conversation and help create a sense of community, while respecting that not everyone will want to participate in the same way.
Diligent care catering is therefore about more than what is served on the plate. By making mealtimes inclusive, engaging, and personal, food can become an important part of creating a care environment in which people feel connected to those around them.
Choice remains essential. Some people thrive in a busy dining room, while others may prefer smaller groups or quieter surroundings. The aim should not simply be communal dining, but creating opportunities for meaningful interaction that reflect individual preferences.
Connect Catering works in partnership with care providers to create catering services centred around the individual needs, preferences, and wellbeing of residents. To find out more about its approach to care catering, visit www. connectcatering.co.uk or contact the team on 01491 826000 | rosie.pack@connectcatering.co.uk
Food can also become an activity in its own right. Theme days, seasonal celebrations, and menus inspired by diverse cultures can turn an ordinary lunchtime into an occasion. The experience can extend beyond the plate through decorations, music, tastings, and activities, creating talking points and encouraging residents to share memories and experiences. Catering teams are crucial to culinary enjoyment. By engaging with residents, listening to feedback, and learning about favourite dishes, cultural traditions, and food memories, they can help individuals feel involved in their dining experience. These conversations can also offer valuable insights that help shape menus and create a more personalised experience. Inclusivity is equally important. Residents living with dementia, dysphagia or physical difficulties may require meals to be adapted, but this should not mean being excluded from the shared experience of eating. Careful presentation, appropriate support and thoughtfully adapted versions of dishes can help residents retain dignity, independence, and enjoyment while remaining part of the occasion.
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Care England Conference & Exhibition 3 March 2027 Church House Conference Centre, London Limited Early Bird Tickets are on sale! Book your place now!
Meet our CONFERENCE SPONSORS
A New Direction will talk to the past and future of policy making and care delivery for the sector. Bringing together some of the sector’s most important voices.
Platinum sponsors:
Lead sponsor:
Premium sponsors:
Media sponsors:
www.careengland.org.uk
Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Demand isn’t the problem. Proving what works is Care home marketing teams have rarely been busier. Our latest trends report of care home operators shows calls to care homes rose by around 11% year on year, with September 2026 the busiest month in our data. Demand is strong. But the job of turning that demand into move-ins has become harder, and marketing teams are being asked to deliver more without necessarily more budget.
The operators who come out ahead won’t be those with the biggest budgets. They’ll be the ones who understand the full journey, from first search to first call to move-in, and put their time where it counts.
The problem: more channels, less clarity How families find and choose care is changing quickly. They research more before they pick up the phone, comparing homes across several visits. AI Overviews are changing where they find answers, and paid search is doing more of the heavy lifting, at a rising cost.
Download the full report For the full findings, including what’s driving calls, where paid search budgets are going, and practical recommendations, download the Care homes trends report: Autumn/Winter 2026 at mediahawk.co.uk/ care-trends.
For marketing teams, this is a capacity problem as much as a marketing one. Time goes on pulling reports from different platforms, defending budgets, and judging which channels deserve investment. The senior care marketers we spoke to were clear: generating enquiries is no longer the main challenge. Converting them into move-ins, and proving what works, is. The solution: let the data do the heavy lifting Marketing teams can’t always add headcount, but they can stop spending time in the wrong places. Connect every enquiry to its source. Call tracking and marketing attribution show which channel, campaign, and keyword produced each call, form, and live chat. Some channels bring plenty of visitors but few enquiries. Others punch well above their weight. Follow enquiries through to move-ins. Matching each move-in back to its original source shows which channels fill rooms, not just phone lines. Budget conversations move from opinion to evidence. Automate the routine. Feeding call conversions back into Google Ads lets bidding work towards calls that convert, not just clicks. Routing calls automatically to the right home or team stops enquiries slipping through the cracks without anyone managing it by hand. Learn from every conversation. Speech analytics highlights the topics and patterns behind successful enquiry calls, without anyone listening to hours of recordings. Those insights shape both campaigns and staff training.
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Comprehensive legal support for providers Hempsons is experienced in advising on all elements of law and regulation that impact on the social care sector
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Sensio launches Falls Playback to support care teams and improve resident outcomes New technology aims to help care teams better understand falls incidents, reduce investigation times and make more informed decisions about resident care. When a fall occurs unwitnessed, understanding what happened can be difficult, leaving teams to piece together information while managing the immediate needs of residents. These investigations can take valuable time and may not always provide the clarity needed to determine the most appropriate response. Addressing this challenge, Sensio has launched Falls Playback, a feature designed to support care teams with a clearer understanding of incidents, through instant video replay. A clearer picture of falls related incidents Falls Playback gives care professionals videobased insight into what happens before and after a fall, helping them understand causes and take targeted action. By providing additional context, the technology can reduce reliance on recollections alone and help teams investigate incidents more efficiently. Care homes using the feature have reported reducing investigation times from days to hours, alongside improvements in clinical decisionmaking, fewer safeguarding incidents and the avoidance of unnecessary hospital admissions. For team members, having access to clearer information can help simplify investigations and support a more considered response, without losing sight of the individual behind the incident. A greater resident understanding
help care professionals move beyond assumptions, work more effectively with healthcare colleagues and identify interventions that better reflect a resident’s needs. Supporting teams to focus on enhancing care With workforce pressures continuing across the care sector, reducing the time spent on administrative tasks and incident investigations is an important consideration for providers. Technology can play a role in supporting this by giving teams access to useful information when they need it, helping them work more efficiently while maintaining standards of care. Falls Playback is one example of how sensor technology can support this approach, providing greater clarity around incidents and helping teams use their time more effectively. As the sector continues to explore how innovation can address practical workforce challenges, the focus remains on ensuring that technology delivers meaningful benefits for both teams and residents. To learn more about Falls Playback and the impact providers are already seeing across their Estates, contact Sensio for further information.
As one of the first providers to trial Falls Playback, Cath Fairhurst, Managing Director of Operations at Lovett Care, shares first-hand how the feature is already making a difference across the Lovett Estate. Falls Playback has already helped our care teams better understand residents’ needs. As one of the first providers to trial the feature, we identified a case where footage revealed that a resident was lowering herself to the floor due to nighttime restlessness, rather than falling. This insight supported her GP in identifying the right intervention, contributing to improvement in her wellbeing. It’s a powerful example of how technology can help us better understand, respect and support our elders. The experience highlights how additional insight can
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Navigating Food Costs in 2026: Supporting Care Homes for a Volatile 2027 After several years of unprecedented inflation, food costs remain one of the most significant operational challenges facing care homes. While the pace of inflation has eased compared with the record highs experienced in 2022 and 2023, the reality is that prices have settled at a much higher level than pre-pandemic baselines, creating ongoing pressure on already stretched care budgets. Food prices remain more than 30% higher than they were just a few years ago .
• Smarter stock management • Utilising labour-saving products where appropriate • Training catering teams on best practice • Maximising ingredient uses across multiple dishes • Balancing from-scratch cooking with carefully selected prepared ingredients These measures can help operators offset inflationary pressures while maintaining high standards of care and nutrition.
For care operators, the challenge has evolved. The conversation is no longer solely about responding to rapid price increases, but about building resilience, improving efficiency, and preparing for the next wave of cost pressures expected across the food supply chain.
Creed's development chefs work alongside care homes to review menus, identify alternative product solutions and create recipes that deliver both nutritional value and financial sustainability. A collaborative approach like this, helps catering teams adapt to changing market conditions while continuing to meet residents' dietary requirements and expectations.
Recent figures show UK food and beverage inflation has remained relatively low throughout much of 2026, reaching around 1.3% in August. However, industry forecasts suggest this period of stability may be temporary, with inflation expected to accelerate towards the end of the year as costs associated with energy, transport, labour, ingredients and packaging continue to rise .
Forward planning will become increasingly important throughout 2027. As climate events continue to affect harvests across Europe and globally, and as energy and logistics costs remain unpredictable, operators that actively review their catering strategy will be better placed to manage future volatility. Industry experts increasingly believe that while inflation may not return to the record levels of previous years, periods of price instability are likely to remain a feature of the market for the foreseeable future . The good news is that care homes do not have to navigate these challenges alone.
Looking ahead, the outlook for 2027 presents further uncertainty. The Food and Drink Federation forecasts food inflation could reach 5.5% during 2027, driven by climaterelated disruption, commodity volatility, labour costs and continuing geopolitical uncertainty. Fruit, vegetables and other fresh categories are expected to be among the most exposed . For care homes, where food plays a crucial role in resident wellbeing, nutrition and satisfaction, these pressures cannot simply be passed on through reduced portions or compromised quality. Instead, operators need practical strategies that deliver cost efficiencies without impacting the dining experience residents expect.
Through Care England's partnership with Creed Foodservice, Care England members can receive a free cost analysis, reviewing thousands of kitchen essentials to find a more cost effective solution.
This is where Care England's partnership with Creed Foodservice is helping providers take a proactive approach. As one of the UK's leading foodservice providers, Creed Foodservice supports both independent and group care providers nationwide. With specialist care sector expertise, dedicated account management and an experienced team of development chefs, Creed works closely with operators to identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and future-proof catering operations.
Creed Foodservice have saved care homes up to 14% on food costs in recent case studies, while also developing long-term strategies with customers to build resilience against future food inflation. To register for a free cost analysis visit: Care England Cost Analysis - Creed Foodservice and complete a short online form. A member of the Creed team will be in touch to support.
Importantly, today's greatest savings opportunities are often found beyond product pricing alone. Many care homes working with Creed continue to uncover significant efficiencies through: • Menu engineering and seasonal planning • Reviewing product choices and pack sizes • Reducing food waste
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Preparing for the Plastic Wet Wipes Ban: Sustainable Hygiene Solutions for Care Wet wipes are an everyday essential in health and social care. However, with legislation to ban wet wipes containing plastic being introduced across the UK, care providers should start reviewing their current products and identifying suitable alternatives. For care homes and healthcare settings, the challenge is finding replacements that balance environmental responsibility with the practical demands of daily care. Wipes must be effective, comfortable against the skin and durable enough to support personal cleansing. The ban will come into effect on the 19th May 2027 in England & the 18th December 2026 in Wales. While the ban targets personal care, medical use is exempt. Leaving the question on where personal care ends and medical use begins. At present, we have not found a sufficiently clear definition to confidently distinguish every product category. From our perspective, wipes used for general personal hygiene, such as patient cleansing wipes and bedbathing wipes, fall within the personal care category. In contrast, products intended for specific clinical applications, such as surface disinfection or specialist incontinence care, may be considered medical-use products, depending on their intended purpose and applicable regulatory classification. This uncertainty highlights the importance of clearer guidance for care providers and manufacturers, helping them understand which products are affected and make informed decisions when selecting suitable alternatives.
Nilaqua’s biodegradable patient cleansing wipes are specifically designed for professional care environments, including hospitals, nursing homes and residential care settings. Their extra-thick construction and foaming cleansing formula support gentle, hygienic personal care, particularly for residents who are bedbound, living with limited mobility or develop aquaphobia through related conditions such as dementia. Made in the UK using 100% renewable energy, they combine practical performance with a more considered approach to materials. Making the transition easier for care providers Moving away from plastic-containing wipes does not have to mean sacrificing quality or convenience. By reviewing purchasing choices now, care providers can identify appropriate alternatives, maintain familiar hygiene routines and make progress towards reducing plastic waste. With suitable alternatives already available, care providers can begin preparing for regulatory change while continuing to prioritise the comfort, dignity and wellbeing of those they support. For further information on Nilaqua’s biodegradable and compostable wipes, visit waterlessltd.co.uk or contact sales@waterlessltd.co.uk
Plastic-free alternatives Nilaqua, a UK-made personal care brand trusted within healthcare, offers a range of biodegradable and compostable wipes designed to support everyday hygiene while helping reduce plastic waste. Its 30-pack Hands, Body and Face Wipes provide a convenient solution for personal cleansing. Certified compostable, UK-made and fragrance-free, they are pH-balanced and formulated with a natural emollient to help care for sensitive skin. Nilaqua’s large biodegradable dry wipes offer another option. Made from 100% viscose, these plastic-free, 50gsm wipes are soft, absorbent and durable. They can also be used with our Waterless Cleansing Body Foam, allowing care teams to adapt their approach to individual residents’ needs while reducing reliance on conventional dry wipes.
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Reducing Agency Reliance Through Effective Workforce Planning Agency staff can provide essential cover when care services face vacancies, sickness or unexpected changes in need. The challenge comes when temporary cover becomes a routine requirement, without a clear understanding of why those shifts remain difficult to fill.
permanent staff may help address some gaps, provided responsibilities remain appropriate to their competence and role.
For providers, the consequences extend beyond cost. Regular changes in personnel can affect continuity and mean permanent staff spend more time explaining people’s preferences, routines and working arrangements. Managers may find themselves booking cover repeatedly, with little time to address the underlying gaps. Reducing agency reliance therefore needs a workforce plan, rather than a spending target alone. Understand where cover is needed Start by reviewing agency shifts over a meaningful period. Which roles, days and times require the most cover? Is demand concentrated around particular shifts, or spread across the rota? Consider vacancies, absence, overtime and staff availability alongside that information. Separate temporary pressures from recurring gaps. Cover for a short period of sickness requires a different response from an unfilled night position that has relied on agency workers for months. Staffing decisions must also reflect people’s assessed needs and the skills required to meet them. A lower agency bill is not an improvement if it leaves the service without appropriate cover. Match the response to the gap
Avoid replacing agency dependence with excessive overtime. That can transfer the pressure to permanent employees and make the arrangement difficult to sustain. Put the plan into practice Fulcrum Care supports providers with workforce optimisation and operational management, helping them review staffing requirements, deployment and agency use within the wider needs of the service. This can help providers identify priorities, assign responsibility and establish a realistic plan for reducing avoidable agency use. Where management teams need additional capacity, operational support can help put agreed changes into practice. Progress should be judged through more than expenditure. Review unfilled shifts, overtime, staff feedback and continuity alongside agency hours and costs. Agency staff will remain an important resource for many care services. The objective is to use that resource deliberately, with a clearer understanding of when temporary cover is necessary and where a more sustainable staffing arrangement can be developed. For further information and support with workforce optimisation and operational management, contact Fulcrum Care on 020 3411 4014 or visit fulcrumcareconsulting.com.
Once the pattern is understood, providers can identify practical changes. A recurring gap may require targeted recruitment for specific hours, rather than a general recruitment campaign. Where availability is the issue, discussing working patterns with employees may reveal options that suit both the service and the team. Review the balance of experience across shifts too. Filling the required number of hours does not necessarily provide the right skill mix. Developing
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
What If CQC Inspection Readiness Wasn’t Something You Had to Prepare For?
The Care Quality Commission's (CQC) proposed changes to how care services are assessed and rated have been under discussion since March 2026. As the regulator develops and tests its approach, these changes are prompting renewed conversations across the care sector. For residential care providers, the discussion goes beyond revised frameworks and inspection methods. It raises an important question: how confident are organisations in demonstrating the quality of care they deliver, not just during inspections, but every day?
When information is fragmented across spreadsheets, disconnected systems and manual processes, building a complete picture becomes unnecessarily complicated.
The CQC has outlined plans to replace its single assessment framework with sector-specific approaches, including one dedicated to adult social care.
The challenge isn't collecting more information. It's making existing information accessible, accurate and useful to those responsible for running care services. Greater visibility helps managers identify emerging issues, make informed decisions and spend less time searching for answers.
Proposals include replacing Quality Statements with Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs), introducing clearer rating descriptions and moving away from numerical scoring towards evidence-based judgements.
Looking beyond regulatory compliance
While assessment methods may evolve, expectations around safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services remain unchanged. Good care shouldn't begin with an inspection An important question emerging from these changes is how providers demonstrate quality.
Gathering workforce records, reviewing compliance documentation, checking staffing arrangements and demonstrating effective governance can become a significant administrative exercise. But should demonstrating good practice require so much additional preparation? At Syncurio, we believe operational confidence should
Regardless of how assessments evolve, providers need reliable information to understand what's happening across their services. Clear oversight of staffing, accurate workforce records, compliance monitoring and financial visibility all contribute to effective leadership and informed decision-making.
What's changing for care providers?
Inspections are essential for maintaining standards and accountability. Yet preparing for them can place additional pressure on already stretched care teams.
be embedded in everyday working practices, rather than established when an inspection approaches. Turning everyday information into meaningful evidence
While discussions understandably focus on what CQC changes mean for inspections, there's an opportunity to consider something bigger. What if providers focused less on preparing to demonstrate quality and more on having confidence in it every day? That means creating environments where teams feel supported, information is readily available and managers can make decisions confidently. Technology has a role to play, but it must support the realities of care delivery rather than introduce complexity. As regulatory expectations evolve, one principle remains: strong operational foundations don't just support inspection readiness. They help create more resilient, sustainable care organisations. Ultimately, that benefits the people who matter most: those receiving care. For further information email info@syncurio.co.uk or visit www.syncurio.co.uk.
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Protecting Residents, Protecting Staff: Why Vaccination Matters in Care Homes Protecting vulnerable people starts with a consistent approach to seasonal flu, COVID-19, and other recommended vaccinations. In care environments, shared spaces and frequent contact increase infection risks. Vaccination helps reduce serious illness and complications, while demonstrating a commitment to prevention and wellbeing. Residents benefit enormously. Many live with frailty, multiple health conditions, or weakened immune systems that make common infections particularly dangerous. Vaccination can reduce hospital admissions and complications, but its benefits extend beyond physical health. It helps preserve everyday experiences, from lunch clubs and music sessions to garden walks and family visits. For residents living with dementia, preventing infection can also reduce the risk of delirium and associated deterioration. How vaccination is delivered matters too. Quiet spaces, familiar surroundings, accessible information, and flexible appointments can reduce anxiety. Involving residents in planning helps ensure the process remains respectful and comfortable.
Staff are equally important. Encouraging vaccination can help reduce sickness absence, maintain staffing stability, and protect colleagues and their families. Offering convenient clinics, protected time, and clear information makes participation easier while respecting individual choice.
Following each vaccination campaign, providers should review uptake, accessibility, communication, and any difficulties encountered. Recognising colleagues who supported the programme helps maintain momentum and identify improvements for future seasons.
Families also need reassurance. Sharing information about eligibility, vaccination arrangements, and consent processes helps build confidence in the home's approach to infection prevention.
Vaccination cannot eliminate every infection risk. It must work alongside effective hygiene, ventilation, appropriate testing, and outbreak management. Together, these measures support safer environments and greater confidence for residents, families, and staff.
Preparation should begin early. Care providers should identify eligible residents and staff, arrange clinics with healthcare professionals, and ensure opportunities are accessible to night teams, bank staff, and those working irregular hours. Monitoring uptake and addressing concerns through supportive conversations can improve participation.
At Cornerstone Care Solutions, we believe effective infection prevention combines sound clinical governance with compassionate, individualised care. Vaccination is not simply an annual task. It is part of a wider responsibility to protect wellbeing, maintain independence, and support resilient care services.
Vaccination planning should extend beyond flu and COVID-19. Pneumococcal and shingles vaccinations are also important for eligible residents. New starters and agency colleagues should understand relevant immunisation policies, while residents should receive accessible information that supports informed decisions.
If your service would benefit from support reviewing infection prevention arrangements, vaccination governance, or winter preparedness, contact Cornerstone Care Solutions. We can help you identify gaps, strengthen procedures, and build confidence in your approach to protecting residents and staff.
Consent must remain central. Where residents lack capacity to make a particular vaccination decision, the Mental Capacity Act provides the framework for determining their best interests. Families and advocates can offer valuable insight, but decisions must remain focused on the individual.
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Keeping Skilled Care Staff: Why Training You Can Trust Matters Adult social care in England has made real progress on recruitment. Skills for Care's latest figures show the vacancy rate fell to 6.2% in 2025/26, its lowest level in a decade. Yet vacancies remain around three times higher than in the wider economy, and keeping skilled staff is still one of the sector's biggest challenges.
can confirm a course has been assessed before booking it. For care workers, our free CPD Passport offers a secure, lifelong digital record of their qualifications, certificates and CPD. Accredited learning can be verified instantly, and because the record belongs to the learner rather than their employer, it travels with them throughout their career. That can mean less repeated training and stronger evidence of competence.
Training is part of the answer. Skills for Care's State of the adult social care sector and workforce in England report, published in October 2026, found that care worker turnover falls from 34.3% to 15.3% when employers combine competitive pay, guaranteed hours, training, qualifications and fulltime employment opportunities. Development is not just good practice. It helps people stay.
For employers, our free Committed to CPD recognition helps care providers show that they invest in staff development, building trust with current employees and standing out to new recruits.
The problem: not all training is equal
For training providers serving the care sector, becoming an Approved CPD Provider is free, giving organisations a clear route to having their learning independently assessed.
Care providers face three practical problems. First, quality is hard to judge. With so much training on the market, it can be difficult to tell whether a course is genuinely good, current and relevant before committing staff time to it.
A workforce worth investing in Retaining skilled staff depends on many factors, from pay to working conditions. Training is one area where providers can act now. When that training is high quality, recognised and easy to evidence, everyone benefits, from the care worker to the people they support.
Second, records get lost. Care workers often move between employers, and their training history does not always move with them. New starters may repeat learning they have already completed, while managers struggle to evidence what their team knows. Third, development often goes unrecognised. Providers who invest heavily in their people can find it hard to show candidates and staff that commitment in a way that stands out.
For further information and support, contact The CPD Group at thecpd.group or call 0300 373 2528.
The solution: CPD you can trust and evidence The CPD Group is a UK CPD accreditation body. We do not deliver training ourselves. Instead, we independently assess learning created by training providers, with every course, webinar and event reviewed on its own merit rather than through blanket approval. For care providers, this offers a simple quality check. Accredited activities carry a unique accreditation number that anyone can verify online, so managers
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Giving Care Teams Their Time Back
Great care starts with great people.
Applause enables organisations to recognise and celebrate employee achievements, creating a culture where care professionals feel valued and appreciated for the difference they make every day.
Care teams balance complex responsibilities every day- delivering person-centred support, managing medication and completing documentation and communicating with families. But sometimes, maybe too often, time is lost to administrative tasks, duplicated processes and disconnected systems. At a time when providers continue to face workforce pressures, investing in the right technology is becoming just as important as investing in buildings or equipment, giving care professionals the tools they need to focus on the people they support. Staff are expected to record information accurately, stay compliant with regulatory requirements and respond quickly to changing needs, and when these records are spread across paper files, spreadsheets or multiple systems, this can create unnecessary complexity and increase the risk of errors.
Providing staff with intuitive tools demonstrates a commitment to supporting them in their work and helping them succeed. In a competitive recruitment market, organisations that equip their teams with modern technology may also find it easier to attract and retain talent. Effective technology is the technology that empowers care teams, simplifies everyday tasks and enables staff to spend more time with those they support.
Modern care management software helps address these challenges by bringing key processes into a single digital environment. Care planning, medication management, task management and reporting can all be accessed in one place, helping teams work more efficiently and with greater confidence. For example, Access Policies & Procedures gives staff quick access to the latest organisational guidance and compliance documentation, helping ensure everyone is working from the same information and reducing the time spent searching for critical policies. Meanwhile, Access Messenger for Care supports secure, instant communication between teams, enabling colleagues to share updates, coordinate care and respond more quickly to changing resident needs.
When information is available in real time, staff can make more informed decisions and respond quicker to residents' needs, supporting stronger collaboration and creating a clearer picture of the care that is delivered, which not only helps providers demonstrate quality and compliance but also strengthens continuity of care.
Investing in digital solutions is an investment in the workforce itself, and by giving teams the right tools, providers can improve efficiency, strengthen care quality, support wellbeing and create a better experience for both staff and the people they care for. If you would like to find out more about how connected solutions can streamline workflows, improve communication and support staff wellbeing, feel free to book a demo today.
But what about wellbeing and engagement? With recruitment and retention remaining challenges across the sector, providers are looking for ways to enhance the employee experience. Access PaySuite+ helps staff gain greater visibility and control over their finances through financial wellbeing support and employee benefits, helping to reduce money-related stress. In addition, Access
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Does a rating provide care seekers with the whole story? Most care providers still treat the CQC inspection as the moment their quality gets marked. But a government-commissioned review of the regulator found that the average age of CQC ratings stood at 3.9 years as of July 2024. That mindset leaves operators managing quality retrospectively rather than in real time. In May 2026, CQC confirmed that adult social care services with ratings more than six years old are among those being prioritised for assessment. But a rating is a snapshot, and a great deal can change within a care home between assessments. Families don't always realise that. Our ‘Social Care Inspection Gap Report’, (based on independent research among 1,000 UK adults) found that 67% believe care homes are inspected at least annually. Some 52% would feel uncomfortable signing a care contract based on an official rating more than three years old, rising to 82.6% among 55 to 64-yearolds. And 89% said real-time data transparency is essential when choosing a care home for a relative. Why this matters commercially Self-funding families now spend far longer researching homes online before they pick up the phone, and they compare what they find with the homes down the road. When a rating is old, they look for other signals of quality. If they can't find any, they move on. The gap works both ways. A home previously rated ‘Requires Improvement’ may have transformed since its last assessment, yet 59% of UK adults would not feel comfortable placing a loved one in a home carrying that rating. Equally, an older ‘Good’ rating may offer families limited evidence that the same standards remain in place today. Asked what worried them most about a home that hadn't been inspected in three years, 62% cited slipping hygiene and cleanliness standards, and 48% feared a serious safety incident could go undetected.
aggregates over 65 real-time indicators, from safety checks and dining quality to live resident feedback, into a single public score. For operators, it works in two directions: 1.
1For families, it shows what your home is like today, alongside your CQC rating. A home that has improved since its last inspection can prove it, and a home with an older Good can show standards have held.
2.
For your team, benchmarking your indicators against your own trend and against comparable homes in your region shows where you're drifting before it shows up in enquiries or on an inspection report.
For homes running our ‘Live Reviews’ facility through a digital visitor portal, that picture updates as families respond, so a softening in sentiment shows up within days rather than months. And where you want a second, credible check that a fix has worked, a properly accredited mock inspection through our C-CAF partnership provides independent validation. We are not suggesting current information should replace CQC regulation, which remains fundamental to care quality. But operators shouldn't have to wait for a regulator to tell them something is wrong, or to confirm it's been put right. That is ultimately what protects both a rating and a bed count. Visit OpenScore.org.uk to find out how it works or call us on 01892 335 335.
How OpenScore closes the gap This is why we built OpenScore around daily data rather than annual snapshots. Our algorithm
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
In their own words: keeping residents’ voices at the heart of care By Esther McWatters and Suzannah Wander, Two Friends Films
Every provider knows the pressure. Skills for Care’s latest figures show a third of care workers new to their role leave within a year. Each new carer starts out with a written care plan that rarely tells them about the real person behind the paperwork, placing extra demands on the rest of the team.
areas more readily (and said they, “felt like film stars!”).
The Care Insight Programme is designed to close that gap. It is built around short documentary films of residents talking about their lives, backed by a wraparound support package. Carers watch the films to better know the residents, giving them enhanced empathy and confidence. It helps providers evidence person-centred care to the CQC, and reassures families that their loved one is truly known. It also makes residents feel they are properly seen, heard and understood.
Supporting people as needs change The films become a dated baseline, helping staff, families and GPs notice change over time. With consent, they can also be shared with the MDT, so whoever is treating someone meets the person, not the paperwork.
As professional television documentary filmmakers with 25 years working across BBC, ITV and Sky, we know how to put people at ease, draw out what matters and create a film with an individual’s voice and story at its heart. What the pilot found We piloted the Care Insight Programme this year in an inner London extra care scheme, filming ten residents and trialling four films with five carers over three weeks. The findings showed: Real insight: • residents told us things even long-standing staff didn’t know;
Our vision is that everyone who needs care will have a film like this about them. To find out how it could work in your service, please get in touch to arrange a meeting. Get in touch: admin@twofriendsfilms.co.uk | www. twofriendsfilms.co.uk/care-insight-programme
Better care: • in 19 of 20 questionnaire answers, carers named a specific change they would make to a resident’s care; Confident staff: • “I will not feel awkward” said one new carer about meeting a resident for the first time; Low burden: • the registered care manager found it quick and easy to use: “The carers watch a short video and get a feel of the person before they go to see them – that’s amazing.” Engaged residents: • those who took part came to communal
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
When water causes disruption: protecting your care home from the unexpected Care homes face a lot of different risks, so escape of water probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind – but it’s one of the costliest. Every day, insurers pay out close to £2 million for damage caused by water escaping.
areas of the building to help prevent freezing during the winter months •
It’s also one of the most common types of property claim…and one of the most expensive. In fact, recent data shows that the average escape of water claim is over £11,000, which adds up quite quickly when you consider the size and complexity of care settings. But there are more costs than just the initial repair bill, particularly when you factor in disruption. In fact, when a building can’t be used as normal, it can lose anywhere from £2,000 to £50,000 per hour during ‘water-related downtime.’
Use water leak detection systems if possible, so if something does go wrong, you’ll be alerted quickly and can act fast to keep everyone safe
Making a claim If you ever need to make a claim, you can be reassured that we’ll be here to guide you through it. Remember that the more information you can share with us, the better, as it makes it easier for us to help you take the right next steps. We might ask you for evidence like photographs so we can get a better understanding of the scale of the issue, as well as things like receipts or proof of ownership if items have been damaged.
There are also practical considerations. For instance, you might need to close off certain areas of the home, while residents’ routines might be interrupted, and residents may even need to be moved while repairs are carried out. When contractors or tradespeople are on site fixing the water damage, that can also affect the calm and familiar environment your residents are used to.
Throughout it all, our dedicated claims team will keep things moving and make sure any valid payments are made. No matter how big or small your claim, you’ll be looked after by the same claims handler, who will take care of everything from start to finish. Let’s talk
The good news is that there are simple and practical steps you can take to reduce this risk. A little prevention can go a long way. •
Stay on top of routine checks and maintenance, to ensure you’re noticing any issues with pipework or fittings while they’re small
•
Keep pipes well insulated, especially in colder
Sometimes, no matter how carefully we prepare, things go wrong. That’s where insurance can really have your back. Care England members can speak to James Anscombe on 07967 850015 or email james.anscombe@everywhen.co.uk or newcare@ everywhen.co.uk
1. Burst pipes and water leaks | ABI 2. Aviva Risk Management Solutions: Escape of Water - Aviva Risk Management Solutions
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
How Mental Health Can Affect Incontinence Mental health and incontinence are closely connected, with each condition capable of influencing the other. While incontinence is often thought of as a physical health issue, psychological wellbeing plays a significant role in bladder and bowel control. Anxiety, stress and depression can all contribute to the development or worsening of incontinence symptoms, while living with incontinence can negatively affect a person's mental health. It can become a viscous cycle and can be hard to break and improve mental health.
experience symptoms of depression and anxiety than those without continence problems.. [pubmed.ncb... lm.nih.gov], [journals.sagepub.com]
One of the main ways mental health effects continence is through the body's stress response. When a person experiences anxiety or chronic stress, the nervous system remains in a heightened state of alertness. This can increase muscle tension, you will likely notice this in the form of tensing your shoulders or clenching your jaw, but there are many other muscles that are put under pressure with anxiety. One of these is the pelvic floor and it can lead to increased urinary urgency and frequency as the muscles weaken. Over time, this heightened response can contribute to episodes of urinary leakage or difficulty controlling the bladder. Depression can also affect continence in several ways. People living with depression may experience reduced motivation to maintain healthy routines, including adequate hydration, physical activity and pelvic floor exercises that help support bladder control. Depression has also been linked to changes in brain chemistry and nerve function, which may affect communication between the brain and bladder. Research has shown that individuals with urinary incontinence are significantly more likely to
Mental health medications may also play a role. Some antidepressants, sedatives and antipsychotic medications can affect bladder function by altering nerve signals, reducing awareness of bladder fullness or causing constipation, which can place additional pressure on the bladder. Healthcare professionals should therefore consider both physical and psychological factors when assessing continence issues. Importantly, the relationship works both ways. Incontinence can have a profound impact on emotional wellbeing. Fear of leakage, embarrassment and concerns about odour or access to toilets may lead people to avoid social activities, exercise or travel. This can contribute to social isolation, reduced self-esteem and worsening anxiety or depression. A recent study found that people with moderate and severe urinary incontinence were more than twice, and in some cases nearly four times, as likely to experience depression compared with those without incontinence. [pubmed.ncb. / lm.nih.gov], [goldjournal. net] In conclusion, mental health can significantly influence bladder and bowel control through physiological, behavioural and emotional pathways. Recognising the connection between mental wellbeing and continence is essential to providing care. Addressing both mental health and continence concerns together can improve symptoms, quality of life and overall wellbeing. For more information and tools, visit www.id-direct.com
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
These Hands Academy From Digital Promise to Everyday Practice By Tara Marshall, CEO & Founder There was a noticeable shift in energy at this year’s Care Show. Conversations felt more confident, ambitious and connected to the reality of care delivery. Digital transformation no longer felt like a policy ambition or a supplier-led conversation. It felt like something the sector is ready to own. For years, we have talked about technology supporting safer care, earlier intervention maximising resources, significant investment has already been made in digital care records, telehealth, remote monitoring and innovation. The equipment exists. The ambition exists. Now the policy direction is strengthening. The question is no longer whether technology has a place in social care. The question is whether we are prepared to do the harder work of implementation. Across care settings, staff are supporting people with increasing complexity. Long-term conditions and changing dependency are now part of everyday care where deterioration rarely begins as a crisis. It often starts quietly: a person eating less, becoming withdrawn, breathing differently, sleeping more, appearing confused or simply not being themselves. These soft signs matter. Care workers notice them first because they know the person behind the observation. They understand what is normal, what’s changed and when something feels wrong. Yet too often, that knowledge is not translated into a language the wider system so it can respond. Concerns remain difficult to evidence, escalation feel’s uncertain, and opportunities for earlier action are missed.
A digital device does not improve outcomes simply by being present. A telehealth box on a shelf does not prevent deterioration. A monitoring tool that staff do not feel confident using will not shift care from reactive to proactive. Value is created when technology becomes part of everyday decision-making, when staff understand why they are using it, and when the wider system responds to the information shared. This is the implementation gap. At These Hands Academy, this is where we work. Through the Connected Care Programme, we know happens when managing deterioration, telehealth, workforce development and sustained implementation come together. The Impact Hub builds on that learning, offering practical managing deterioration training shaped by real scenarios. Our Rapid Evaluation helps providers understand why equipment may be sitting on a shelf and what practical steps are needed to bring it into use. For us, next phase of digital social care should be measured by how confidently technology is used, how consistently it supports decisions, and how clearly it helps care teams act before deterioration becomes crisis. Because the future of social care is not just digital. It is human, practical and implemented well enough to ensure nobody deteriorates unnoticed. hello@thesehandsacademy.co.uk
This is why managing deterioration proactively must be seen as a core part of the future of social care. Soft signs, observations, vital signs, NEWS2 and structured escalation tools create a bridge between care and health. They help turn instinct into evidence and evidence into action. Technology can strengthen this bridge, but only if it is embedded into practice.
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Technology in care: Supporting the workforce, protecting the vulnerable By Jayne Connery FRSA FRSPH, Founder and Director, Care Campaign for the Vulnerable
Adult social care continues to face significant workforce pressures, from recruitment and retention challenges to increasing care complexity, demanding workloads and the responsibility of keeping vulnerable people safe.
Successful implementation also requires staff training, clear governance, data protection safeguards and meaningful engagement with residents and families. A shared responsibility for the future
Yet when we discuss solutions to these challenges, technology is still too often viewed as an additional expense rather than an opportunity to support those delivering care. Through my work with Care Campaign for the Vulnerable (CCFTV), I regularly engage with families, care providers and technology innovators. What has become increasingly clear is that technology, when introduced responsibly, can make a meaningful difference to both the workforce and the people receiving care. The problem: A workforce under pressure Care staff are expected to manage increasingly complex needs while maintaining accurate records, responding to incidents, supporting individuals living with dementia and communicating with families. In busy care environments, even the most dedicated staff can struggle to be everywhere at once. Falls, night-time monitoring, changes in behaviour and safeguarding concerns all require attention. Traditional approaches can be labour-intensive, reactive and dependent on staff being physically present at precisely the right moment.
One of the most encouraging developments I have witnessed is the willingness of technology companies to engage directly with CCFTV, seeking to understand the experiences of families and the realities of care delivery. That dialogue matters. Innovation should not be driven solely by what technology can achieve, but by what residents, families and care professionals genuinely need. If we want a stronger, safer and more sustainable care workforce, we must be prepared to embrace responsible innovation while keeping people at the centre of every decision. Technology alone will not solve the workforce crisis, but used appropriately, it can become an important part of the solution. For further information about Care Campaign for the Vulnerable and our work promoting safety, transparency and responsible technology in care, please visit our website or contact CCFTV directly.
This is not simply a workforce issue. It is a question of safety, dignity and quality of care. The solution: Technology that supports, not replaces At CCFTV, we advocate for ethical, choice-led and consent-led safety monitoring, alongside technologies designed to support better care delivery. Acoustic monitoring, intelligent falls detection, digital care planning and appropriate safety monitoring can provide additional information, support timely interventions and help staff identify potential risks. These technologies have the potential to reduce unnecessary interruptions, improve the availability of information and allow staff to focus more attention on meaningful, person-centred care. However, technology must never become a substitute for appropriate staffing levels, professional judgement or compassionate human interaction.
Picture: Jayne Connery Director /Founder of CCFTV at Westminster talking to Stuart Andrews MP on Technology in Care with Director Andy and Carole Geach of Shedfield Lodge Care Home, Hampshire
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
The Digital Switchover: Your Final Opportunity to Prepare Is Approaching With the UK’s traditional telephone network due to be switched off by 31 January 2027, care providers need to act now to identify risks, audit their systems and ensure essential services are ready for the change. The digital switchover is fast approaching, yet many care providers are still unaware of how it could affect their services. With the deadline now firmly on the horizon, there is little time to lose. If you haven’t reviewed your systems, now is the time to act. The switchover will see traditional analogue telephone lines replaced by digital alternatives. While this may sound like a straightforward change, the impact goes far beyond picking up the phone. Any equipment that relies on traditional copper telephone lines could be affected, and some systems may need upgrading, replacing, or reconfiguring to continue working correctly. Why is this particularly important for care providers? Care environments depend on a range of connected systems to support residents and staff. These can include telecare and personal alarms, emergency red phones, lift alarms, CCTV, intruder alarms, door entry systems, and other essential equipment. If any of these systems rely on an analogue telephone line, they could become unreliable or stop working as intended following migration unless the necessary checks and changes have been completed. For care providers, this is about much more than technology. It is about protecting residents, maintaining essential communication, and ensuring staff can continue to deliver safe, effective care. Start with an audit The first step is understanding exactly what you have in place. An audit of your connectivity, telephone lines and connected equipment can help identify which services may be affected, where there are potential risks and what action needs to be taken. It is also important to involve the suppliers responsible for individual systems. Your internet or telephone provider may not be responsible for your alarms, CCTV or telecare equipment, so checking compatibility with the relevant manufacturers and service providers is essential.
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Digital services also depend on power and connectivity, making it worth reviewing your resilience arrangements. Consider what would happen if your internet connection or power supply failed, particularly where systems support residents' safety or essential communications. Don't leave it until the last minute With the January 2027 deadline approaching, identifying a problem is only the beginning. Equipment changes, supplier coordination, installation, and testing can all take time. Leaving these checks until the final weeks could create unnecessary pressure and leave important questions unanswered. At Orbital Net, we understand the connectivity challenges facing care providers. Our team can help you review your current services, identify potential areas of concern, and understand the connectivity options available to support your organisation. Book your digital switchover audit with Orbital Net today. Get a clearer picture of what needs attention, plan your next steps and give your team more time to prepare before the deadline. Contact solutions@orbital.net or visit orbital.net to find out more.
Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
How much of what we call unavoidable could actually be prevented? I think we need to be careful about how readily we accept certain outcomes as an inevitable part of growing older, particularly when we know that much of what happens to residents between care interactions has historically been invisible to us. Falls, infections, declining mobility and hospital admissions are often associated with the frailty and complex health needs of people living in care, but what we're learning from working with care homes is that some of these outcomes may be more preventable than we've previously believed.
helping them recognise something important and decide what to do. Being more ambitious about preventative care We've also seen what this can mean more widely. In Dorset, an independent evaluation across six care homes using advanced resident monitoring reported 49% fewer falls, 64% fewer ambulance callouts and 79% fewer hospital transfers. Those results are significant, but the bigger opportunity goes beyond reducing incidents. Recognising changes earlier gives you a better chance of protecting resident’s sleep, maintaining their mobility, independence, and helping them remain well enough to enjoy everyday life.
One thing that's become increasingly clear to me is that deterioration doesn't always begin with an obvious change in someone's condition. It can develop through small changes over several days, whether that's someone sleeping less, waking more frequently, coughing during the night or becoming increasingly restless. Individually, these changes might not seem significant, but together they can tell us something important about a person's health. The difficulty is that care teams have traditionally had limited visibility of what happens when residents are alone in their bedrooms, meaning these changes can go unnoticed until someone's condition deteriorates. Understanding what happens before an incident I think this matters when we consider preventative care, because we're very good at reviewing what happened following an incident, but the information that could help us understand what led to it hasn't always been available.
For me, that's where our thinking about preventative care needs to develop. It's not just about responding more quickly when help is needed, but understanding people well enough to recognise when something is changing. I believe we have an opportunity to reconsider what's possible for people living in care, because some outcomes we've historically accepted as unavoidable may be ones we can increasingly influence. Find out how Ally can help your care home recognise changes earlier and improve resident outcomes. Get in touch to explore what's possible.
We've seen examples in care homes using Ally, where understanding previously unobserved changes in residents' behaviour has helped care teams make different decisions. At Charnwood Country Residence, unusual overnight coughing patterns helped staff recognise a potential health concern and intervene earlier. At The Grange Nursing Home, unusual sounds during the night led to further assessment and a Speech and Language Therapy referral relating to swallowing difficulties. What interests me is that neither example required a dramatic change in care delivery. Care teams had information they wouldn't previously have had,
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Care providers: a not-so-unlikely cyber target? Our National Healthcare System (NHS) made headlines on multiple occasions when hackers breached their digital defences in 2017, and then again in 2024, both causing UK-wide disruption, thousands of cancelled appointments and restricted access to data. Similar global scandals include massive organisations such as Medicare and United Healthcare, so perhaps you could be forgiven for thinking small care providers would make unlikely cyber-attack targets?
Protect combines a full suite of online cyber security training with military-grade protection for your systems, helping organisations strengthen both their technology and their people's awareness of cyber threats. The aim is simple: to make effective cyber protection a more realistic option for care providers, without adding unnecessary complexity or cost. Don't wait until something goes wrong
Unfortunately, the reality is that many small Care Provider organisations have also been subject to attacks, they’ve just not been touched upon so greatly in the media.
Finding an organisation, or multiple organisations, to help protect your business from cyber-attack can feel like a minefield in itself, but cyber security doesn't need to be overwhelming, and taking steps to improve your protection doesn't have to mean a huge investment. Understanding the risks, equipping staff with the right knowledge and putting appropriate protection in place can all help build greater resilience.
Research commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care, exploring cyber security in adult social care, documented the experience of a small homecare provider that suffered a ransomware incident in 2023. After losing access to digital financial data and backup files, a ransomware message was received. And the suspected cause? A staff member clicking on an online link.
After all, prevention is far better than dealing with the disruption, uncertainty and potential financial consequences of an attack.
We do not need to highlight the consequences of losing access to essential systems; medical records, financial information and everyday operations. When those systems are compromised, an organisation’s ability to deliver their essential services to people most in need is also compromised.
Your priority will always be delivering quality care. Taking care of your cyber security is one more way to help ensure you can keep doing just that.
Making cyber protection more accessible We know that care providers are under considerable financial pressure. Budgets must prioritise the people who rely on your services, and investing in cyber security can feel like another expense competing for already limited resources. But protecting your organisation is also about protecting the people in your care. That's why the Centre for Cyber Excellence (CCoE), in partnership with Care England, has streamlined its Care Protect package, making it more affordable and accessible to care providers of any size across the UK. With packages now available from £450, Care
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Find out more about CCoE's Care Protect package: https://ccoe.org.uk/product/care-protect/ Sources: www.gov.uk/government/publications/thestate-of-cyber-security-in-adult-social-car
Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
Reflecting on Excellence: Another Outstanding Care Show for the OS Learning Lounge The Care Show has once again provided an incredible opportunity to bring together care professionals, regulators, experts by experience and sector leaders to share ideas, challenge thinking and celebrate outstanding practice. Over two busy and inspiring days, the Outstanding Society (OS) Learning Lounge welcomed hundreds of delegates who joined us for thought-provoking discussions, practical insights and honest conversations about the issues shaping adult social care today. What stood out more than ever this year was the power of bringing together different voices. Whether hearing from regulators, providers, clinicians, advocates or people with lived experience, every session reinforced the importance of learning from one another to drive improvement across the sector. Two days packed with learning and inspiration Our programme covered a wide range of topics that matter deeply to care providers and the people they support. OS Learning Lounge Sessions: • Keeping Complaints Constructive: The Year in Review • Outstanding Falls Management Processes: Risk, Response and Reflection • Good Nights: Discussing Outstanding Techniques and Tools for Great Support Overnight • End of Life Planning • Team Wellbeing: Supporting Your Team to Better Support People • Learning from the LGBTQ+ Ageing White Paper: Creating Inclusive Care and Support for Older LGBTQ+ Communities in the UK • Building a Culture of Reflective Practice: Lessons from Nursing for the Whole Care Team • What Makes Care Feel Like Home? Creative Outstanding Experiences Through the Eyes of People Who Matter Most • Money Counts: Challenging Finance and Funding Decisions from Local Authorities • The OS and Partners: Reflections on the Two Days Each session offered practical takeaways, fresh perspectives and valuable opportunities for discussion, with audiences engaging enthusiastically throughout. Visit our Care Show playlist on YouTube to learn more.
Yes, planning has already begun! We’re excited to build on this year’s success by creating even more opportunities for people with lived experience to inform, influence and inspire the conversations that shape social care. Spotlight on nursing leadership Alongside the Learning Lounge, the Social Care Nurses Lounge continued its impressive growth and impact. The Lounge has become an increasingly important space for social care nurses and clinical leaders to connect, share best practice and showcase the critical role nursing plays across the sector. The conversations taking place demonstrated the depth of expertise within social care nursing and highlighted the growing recognition of the profession’s contribution to delivering outstanding outcomes. It is fantastic to see the Nurses Lounge going from strength to strength, and we look forward to supporting its continued development at future events. The success of the OS Learning Lounge is only possible because of the generosity and enthusiasm of our speakers, panellists, partners and delegates. Every session benefited from honest discussion, thoughtful questions and a shared commitment to improving care. As we reflect on another successful Care Show, we are incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed their knowledge, experience and passion over the two days. The conversations may have ended, but the learning continues. We look forward to seeing many of you at future OS events and, of course, at Care Show London in April 2027, where we will continue to champion outstanding practice, celebrate innovation and give an even bigger platform to the voices of those with lived experience. Because the best learning happens when every voice is heard. The OS is a Community Interest Company (CIC), free to all providers regardless of rating. It exists to share and celebrate best practice, support improvement and promote careers in Social Care. For more information, contact Sonia: info@theoutstandingsociety. co.uk or follow the links below:
The growing importance of lived experience One of the strongest themes emerging from this year’s Learning Lounge was the impact of speakers sharing their lived experiences. From discussions around LGBTQ+ ageing to exploring what truly makes care feel like home, delegates consistently told us how powerful it was to hear directly from those who draw on care and support services, alongside family members and advocates. These personal perspectives challenged assumptions, brought policy and practice to life, and reminded us why person-centred care must remain at the heart of everything we do. The value of these contributions has been impossible to ignore. As a result, the OS is already developing plans to place even greater emphasis on lived experience voices at the next Care Show in London in April 2027.
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Care Agenda | The voice of the care sector
VIVALDI Finalists Shine at the Social Care Research Awards 2026 Celebrating Research Excellence in Social Care. The Vivaldi Social Care Team was delighted to see the contribution of social care research recognised once again at the Social Care Research Awards 2026. We are incredibly proud that two colleagues closely involved with the Vivaldi programme, Zoe Shears and Gavin Pathmarajan, were recognised by the judges for their outstanding commitment to embedding research into everyday social care practice. Their achievements demonstrate how care providers are helping to shape the future of social care through evidence generation, innovation, and a relentless focus on improving outcomes for people who draw on care and support. A huge congratulations to Zoe Shears for winning the Social Care Research Award and to Gavin Pathmarajan for being named a finalist. Their success reflects not only their personal dedication but also the growing role of social care providers in leading, supporting, and championing highquality research across the sector.
Award is a real honour, not just personally, but for everyone at Cinnamon Care Collection who has embraced the opportunity to be involved in Vivaldi Social Care. When we first became involved, we started with one care home, and within six months, we had expanded participation across all 23 of our homes. This was only possible because of the commitment of our teams and the support of the Vivaldi team. I have always believed that people living in care homes deserve the same opportunities to participate in and benefit from high-quality research as anyone else. Research should not be something that happens around social care, but something we actively help shape and deliver. For me, this recognition is about demonstrating that care providers can play a meaningful role in research, bringing evidence into everyday practice and ultimately improving the lives of the people we support. Social care should not just receive evidence. We should help create it.” Gavin Pathmarajan, Cinnamon Care Collection.
Winners of the Social Care Leaders Awards 2026 – The Social Care Top30 The Social Care Research Award: Zoë Shears, Exemplar
For more information on VIVALDI Social Care, click here or follow the QR code below and head to the VIVALDI page. To find out more about the ASCEC, click here.
The judges were impressed by Zoe’s enthusiasm and passion for using research as a mechanism to improve outcomes for those delivering and receiving care. Her determination to ensure research is seen as business as usual, influenced by her involvement with the Vivaldi study, has led to the development of research champions and the inclusion of research awareness in staff induction. This has fostered an environment where service users’ voices are included, heard and valued, and where colleagues have the opportunity to influence the research agenda through participation. (sponsored by NIHR)
The OS is a Community Interest Company, free to all providers irrelevant of their rating. It is a platform to share and celebrate best practice, help others to improve and promote careers in Social Care. Please contact Sonia (info@theoutstandingsociety.co.uk)
”This award means the world to me, and I feel incredibly proud to receive this award. What began as an area of interest has grown into a real passion, and I have loved every minute of working with the Vivaldi team. They have given me, my residents, and my team some incredible opportunities to learn, develop, and experience the positive impact research can have. For me, research is about making a real difference to people’s lives, improving outcomes, and enhancing the care and experiences of those we support. It has become a part of who I am, and I am excited to continue this journey and see what opportunities lie ahead. I will treasure this award, and I am so proud of how far this journey has taken me.” Zoë Shears, Exemplar. “Being recognised as a finalist for the Social Care Research
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Care England Conference & Exhibition 3 March 2027 Church House Conference Centre, London Limited Early Bird Tickets are on sale! Book your place now!
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A New Direction will talk to the past and future of policy making and care delivery for the sector. Bringing together some of the sector’s most important voices.
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