Care Show Birmingham is the biggest show in the social care calendar. The bright lights of the NEC illuminating a sector alive with possibilities. For two days in October every year great minds, generous hearts and novel innovations emerge and are celebrated. 2024 was the biggest yet and reflected a growing sector with plenty to discuss. Across several stages, throughout vibrant thoroughfares, and on two floors people gathered to share their experiences, and their aspirations, for social care.
Nourish’s Two Storey Stand
This year we wanted to make our stand a welcoming place for our users, as well as an inviting one for new customers.
Our upper deck was reserved for meetings between Nourish Care users and their dedicated Success and Account Managers. A relaxing space above the noise of the show to have in-depth, in person, discussions over tea and biscuits.
On the ground, we created a space for learning and experience sharing. Featuring special guests from the Nourish Partnership Programme including Altra, e-reception book and Professional Records Standards Body as well as sessions exploring our Insights functionality and CQC preparation.
We also had a space for carers to relax and receive a complimentary hand or foot massage. So, folks could take a break from the thoroughfare.
Leaders in Care
The Leaders in Care Awards are a standout celebration in the social care calendar. The event brings the glitz, glamour and gratitude to the night before Care Show Birmingham every year.
This year several Nourish users were up for awards and we were delighted to be cheering them on. A huge congratulations to all the nominees and winners at the events
Kingsway Care who won ‘Innovation in Homecare’
Samantha Crawley of Bracebridge Care Group who won ‘Executive of the Year’
The Northam Care Trust for winning ‘Care Home Provider of the Year’
We also want to extend our sincere celebrations to the other Nourish nominees on the night: Barchester Healthcare, The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), Sanctuary Care, Four Seasons Health Care, CareYourWay and Abicare Services.
Nourish sponsored two awards at the event. ‘Frontline Carer of the Year’ in home care and ‘Registered Manager of the Year’ for Care Homes. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to both winners.
Quality Life UK‘s Leanne Smith-Bodycot for ‘Frontline Carer of the Year’
Care UK‘s Tony Sturgess for ‘Registered Manager of the Year’
Congratulations to all of the winners on the night! Also, thank you to Apollo Care, Community Integrated Care, Sanctuary and National Care Group for joining us at our tables and sharing in the festivities!
Keynote Stage
We sponsored the Care Keynote stage as part of this year’s festivities. The shared conversations and sessions covered a range of topics. Helping to spread experiences and insights across the social care community.
Several talks looked to the future of social care. Skills for Care’s Dr Jane Brightman took us through their state of social care and workforce report. Detailing the numbers of care, the people behind them and the potential we all have. Prominent leaders took to the stage to explore what the future holds for care under a new government. The regulator was naturally a popular subject for discussion, with a range of speakers sharing their insights into continuous improvement and preparing for inspections. We also had the CQC themselves join us for an update.
The second day of Care Show Birmingham ended with the inspiring 30 under 30 Awards. It was incredible to see the future leaders and present champions of care together on stage. We want to send a particular shout out to our friends who were nominated.
Faizan Broughton, Service Leader for Community Integrated Care
Elizabeth Court, Company Secretary for Nexus Care Services
Nourish Keynote Sessions
At Nourish it is not in our nature to stand by and let the important conversations happen without us. We took to the keynote stage on each day of the show to share the perspectives of our team and users on digital care technology.
Building better outcomes in care: how collaboration between care providers and digital care systems drives quality care
Our Chief Product Officer Matthew Stewart led this panel. He was joined by:
Gary Laville, Group Quality and Governance Director – Salutem Care
Laura Brooks, Care Quality Director – Order of St John Care Trust (OSJCT)
Mike Cleasby, Chief Quality and Risk Officer – National Care Group
The panel discussed the transformative impact of digital tools like Nourish on care quality. Some of the key points discussed focused on improved staff behaviour, enhanced report writing, and the benefits they’ve experienced since shifting from paper to digital platforms. With specific reference to positive outcomes for reduced acute care, improved quality of life, and significant changes in clinical outcomes, such as managing epilepsy through data-driven interventions. The panel also talked about what their future plans held. Their ambitions for AI integrations for predictive analysis, developing dependency tools, and enhancing family engagement through the family portal. The discussion emphasized the ability for digital tools to free up time for caregivers and improve overall care efficiency. But it also went into the importance of real-time data and transparency, and how they can drive incredible changes in care delivery processes.
How changing your digital care platform to Nourish improves outcomes, care quality and delivery
On the second day our Chief Customer Officer Paul Barnes took to the Care Keynote stage. Kingsley Healthcare’s Co-Chief Operations Officer, Debbie McGovern, joined Paul to discuss the benefits of changing your digital platform.
Kingsley, a family-run business with 38 homes, is a digital innovator. They began their digital journey in 2011, moving to Nourish last year after spending 6 years using their previous system. They have since improved their care plan management and data accuracy, reducing contradictory information and CQC issues. The migration involved transferring data and devices. An understandable concern for any digitised provider as it is akin to ‘changing the tires on a moving car’. Kingsley were able to transition systems in a smooth fashion with support from the Nourish team. Now they are working well with Nourish and have plans to further innovate their information oversight. Showing digital transformation is an active endeavor, and one with many benefits for circles of care and wider care communities.
If you’d like to read more about Kingsley’s journey with Nourish, check out our Case Study!
The Outstanding Society
Our Chief Marketing Officer Lee Gilbert and our Clinical Lead Carrie Taylor joined The Outstanding Society Learning Lounge for two of their sessions as well.
Lee took part in a roundtable on diversity. A spirited exchange of ideas and experiences. The shape of the setup reflected the nature of the conversations minorities are so frequently left out of. The shape of the conversation reflected just how much we are all losing out as a result.
Carrie Taylor took part in a discussion on ‘Enhancing clinical governance through effective data management’. Samantha Crawley, Director & CEO – The Outstanding Society and Bracebridge Care led the discussion. Ruth French, Operations Director of Stow Healthcare and Tandeep Gill, Head of Business Development for Painchek joined alongside. The talk centred on how data can be more effectively applied in care. With a wealth of information available to us, we need to discern the best places to apply it. Clinical governance is a crucial part of quality care and information is power. The panel concluded data can play a key role in the future of clinical governance, but we must be precise and understanding in how we move forward.
Heading Home from Care Show Birmingham 2024
Care Show Birmingham is always worth a visit. This year we at Nourish wanted to focus on our users and create spaces and conversations we would all grow from. We are delighted with the results and are heading home both tired from the exertion and energised by the experience. See you at the next one!
