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.
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
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’
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.
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!
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!
The biggest show of the social care calendar is right around the corner, Care Show Birmingham. The biggest show attracts the biggest names for the most important conversations. This year we are sponsoring the Care Keynote Stage and we are so excited!
We have a wealth of experience and insight on display throughout Thursday. Of course, the best is saved for the Care Keynote Stage. We contacted the speakers taking to the keynote stage for some sneak previews of what they will cover. From present challenges to future opportunities, there are many great talks, and only one place to see them.
While you’re visiting the show make sure to come say hi to us on stand G40!
Here’s our Nourish insight into the speakers on the Care Keynote Stage on Day 2, Thursday 10th October.
The future of social care: what will a new government bring to the sector?
2024 is a year of change in the UK. With a new Labour government in power it is natural for us to wonder what form those changes will take for the social care sector. Between election promises, King’s speeches and party conferences, we have heard many people from outside social care talk about what the future holds. Join this panel of prominent social care leaders as the discuss what this future might hold for us.
“As the new government begin to make good on their manifesto commitments. None are more important than securing a sustainable social care system. Social care is a critical part of our national infrastructure. Securing its sustainability is in the national interest with more people requesting support. But fewer getting the help they need.” – George Appleton, Head of External Affairs – SCIE
“In terms of the future of social care with the new government in place. We need to support efforts to reform the sector. With a strong focus on the workforce and ensuring care workers’ voices are heard. For me, the future of social care is all about empowering the people who do the job. Allowing them to excel and feel well in themselves. When care workers are supported and well, they deliver their best work.” – Karolina Gerlich, CEO – The Care Workers’ Charity
How changing your digital care platform to Nourish improves outcomes, care quality and delivery
11:15 – 11:45 Speaker Paul Barnes, Chief Customer Officer, Nourish Care
Digital social care records are a common sight in care providers across the UK. A testament to the success of the Digital Social Care led Assured Solutions List initiative. Now that the dust is settled on the rapid digitisation of the sector, providers can look to their horizons with clarity and ask themselves, am I set up to succeed in the future? Our Chief Customer Officer Paul Barnes will be leading a session that details how joining Nourish has transformed care provider’s approach to care, with specific examples from our customers.
“Digital care systems offer a range of possibilities to care providers. At Nourish we have been working with providers for over a decade to help shape our system and improve their outcomes. We delight in working with care providers and producing solutions that help improve the lived experience of care for everyone in their community. Join me on the Care Keynote Stage as I detail how Nourish Care drives improved outcomes, care quality and delivery, with examples and evidence from our users.”
‘The State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England’: a Skills for Care report
12:00 – 12:45 Speaker Jane Brightman, Director of Workforce Strategy, Skills for Care
This year Skills for Care led the charge in developing, for the first time ever, a workforce strategy that is designed by the care sector itself, bringing together key figures and findings from across the sector. Adult social care needs a workforce strategy to ensure we have enough of the right people with the right skills to provide the best possible care and support for the people who draw on it. Three months on from its official launch the director of the workforce strategy Jane Brightman will be taking to the Care Keynote Stage to share the impact, and ambition, of the strategy.
“I’m going to be talking about how we got here. The thinking and development that took place and how we got to the launch of the workforce strategy. I’ll also go through what the last 3 months have been like since the launch and how we plan to continue forward with our implementation of the strategy.”
Navigating challenges & creating opportunities – A Provider Perspective
Alternative Futures Group is a leading North West health and social care charity that delivers exceptional person-centred support. Operating two established businesses in learning disability and autism services, and specialist mental health rehabilitation, the organisation is going from strength to strength. Their Chief Executive Officer will be taking to the Care Keynote Stage to share their journey and their plans for the future. The session will focus on: The charity’s turnaround strategy, with a specific focus on workforce engagement, enhanced service quality and modernisation. How AFG has navigated to take the charity into a consistent, sustained surplus position to facilitate investment. Ian will close with an explanation of how the charity aims to deliver its growth strategy despite the ongoing (and potential future) sector challenges.
An update from the CQC
13:45 – 14:30 Speaker James Bullion, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care, Care Quality Commission
The CQC is always a subject of popular discussion in social care. The best source for information is a primary one. So, don’t miss out on this opportunity for an update directly from their Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care James Bullion.
Hosted by Big Ian, the 30 under 30 awards are a celebration of the rising stars and emerging talent in social care. The award show is always an entertaining and encouraging experience and is a fantastic way to close the Care Keynote Stage.
“The Care Show is proud to host the Thirty under 30 awards at Care Show Birmingham in October. Highlighting the amazing youth within the sector is key to firstly acknowledge the great work they are doing consistently as these will be the leaders of social care in the future.” Matthew Moore, Show Manager – Care Show Birmingham
The biggest show of the social care calendar is right around the corner, Care Show Birmingham. The biggest show attracts the biggest names for the most important conversations. This year we are sponsoring the Care Keynote Stage and we are so excited!
There is a wealth of experience and insight on display on the Keynote Stage in Birmingham. Day 1 is loaded with leaders, lessons and laughs. We contacted the speakers taking to the Keynote Stage for some sneak previews of what they will cover. From state regulators to self-regulation there are several great talks, and only one place to see them.
While you’re visiting the show make sure to come say hi to us on stand G40!
Here’s our Nourish insight into the speakers on the Keynote Stage on Day 1, Wednesday 9th October.
“We know that there’s loads of confusion out there around the single assessment framework. Our goal is to triangulate everything that’s going on, all these different sources of information and experience, to focus on how providers can actually just look forward.”
Mark Topps
Co-Founder and Director, The Caring View
Regulatory reflections: continuous improvement in care quality
The Caring View is a well-known and highly regarded source of useful information and important conversations in social care. Join the hosts, Mark Topps and Adam Purnell as they welcome Caroline Barker, Julie Garrity and the entire care community to a cool-headed conversation on one of the hottest topics in our humble sector, regulation.
“The focus of our conversation with be, ‘how can we ensure compliance with the regulator with regards to care quality?’ So, we’ve got Julie Garrity, who’s an ex CQC inspector and social care advisor, and Caroline Barker from HCR law joining us. We’re going to talk around. Obviously, we know that there’s loads of confusion out there around the single assessment framework. Plus we’re all waiting for Dr Penny Dash’s full report into the CQC. HCR law has seen an increase in people contesting the outcome of their reports. Julie and other consultants have said they’re inundated with providers that need support. Our goal is to triangulate everything that’s going on, all these different sources of information and experience, to focus on how providers can actually just look forward, be streamlined, and leave the framework as it is with all the changes that are going on.” Mark Topps, Co-founder and Director – The Caring View
Building better outcomes in care: how collaboration between care providers and digital care systems drives quality care
Our own Chief Product Officer, Matthew Stewart, will be treading the Keynote Stage boards on day 1. With an extensive background that covers a range of sectors, Matthew understands the crucial moment care technology has reached. There are huge opportunities for care providers and digital suppliers to come together and co-produce effective solutions for everyone in care.
“I love a good challenge. Throughout my career the challenges I faced were consistently about transformation. I worked in many different sectors, but always at the same moment, when there is the opportunity for change, for an industry to take the next step and move forward. As Chief Product Officer for Nourish I recognise that same point in social care. Now is the time for us to face the challenge of utilising digital care systems effectively and take the next big step in quality care. It will not be simple, and it will rarely be straightforward, but we already see positive examples emerging across social care. Join me for an open and ambitious conversation covering what we have achieved already, and what more we can achieve together.”
Empowering caregivers: building resilience and collaboration with positive emotions
Dr. Ant, also known as the Brain Whisperer, empowers people through the art of positive mind practice. In a world of constant stress, pressure and responsibility it is no surprise so many carers are facing burnout. Join Dr Webb for an inspiring keynote on stress management and mindset empowerment, designed specifically for the care sector.
“In this session, I will introduce my powerful Switched on Thinking® methodology, showing how caregivers can shift from reactive to proactive mindsets. I can help carers learn how to identify emotional triggers, manage stress before it escalates, and foster collaboration within their teams to enhance resilience. Through practical tools like the Circle of Awareness®, attendees will leave with actionable strategies to improve their own well-being while enhancing the quality of care they provide. This is a must-attend talk for those looking to build a stronger, more supportive care environment while preventing burnout and enhancing team cohesion. Don’t miss this transformative session!”
Different not worse: why we need magnificently different people in care
The sweet tooth from chocolate city, Big Ian Donaghy will be the Chair for the Keynote Stage. He will also be taking to the stage himself just after lunch to talk about how we can all benefit by supporting neurodiversity in care.
“My talk is about why we need to embrace the neuro divergence population into care. If we want things to stay the same, then we need to be bringing people into care who just think the same and do the same and are happy to do the same. Whereas, if you want to create change, you need somebody who looks at things differently. Someone who does things differently and someone who maybe treats people differently. We need people in care who are different, not worse. People in care who are different, not less. We need people who are magnificently different to create change, to make care better. So, I’m doing a big thing about why we need to go looking for the people who view things differently so that we can revolutionize care.”
Getting your evidence right for your CQC inspection
“Our hope is that attendees leave with the confidence and knowledge to excel in their next CQC inspection.”
Vikki Beckwith
Managing Director, The Affinity Care Group Limited
14:15 – 14:45 Speakers Vikki Beckwith, Managing Director, The Affinity Care Group Limited Tiffany Nelson, Operations Manager, The Affinity Care Group Limited
Regulators are a common source of consternation in care. Inspections are always going to involve stress; it is a natural part of the process. Providers know how important it is to put their best foot forward in these situations, but do you know how? With recent reforms and reports there remains an air of uncertainty when evidencing to the CQC. An air that Affinity Care Group are looking to help providers dispel with their informative and actionable afternoon talk.
“At the Care Show Birmingham this year, we’re covering a topic that I believe many care providers will find valuable. Evidencing for a CQC inspection is a major challenge for many in the sector. As a business, you may be doing everything right, but if you can’t evidence it properly, your rating could be impacted. Last year, we focused on navigating the CQC’s new Single Assessment Framework, but this year, we’re shifting to a more actionable topic. Our hope is that attendees leave with the confidence and knowledge to excel in their next CQC inspection.” Vikki Beckwith, Managing Director – The Affinity Care Group Limited
Menopause matters: steps to improved and sustainable support for our teams in the care sector
Menopause is a big topic, one that has a profound impact on the social care workforce. However, it is too frequently relegated to small conversations. Join Angela Boxall and Diance Danzebrink as they take on the big issues at the heart of menopause and how care providers can improve the support and understanding they offer.
“In our session I will be sharing an overview of the diversity of the menopause experience to help organisations understand how they can offer help and support to colleagues, whatever their menopause experience. My own experience made me acutely aware of just how difficult it can be to navigate the confusing worlds of menopause and mental health without the right help and support. As a result, I combine my professional therapy skills, experience and nurse training in menopause to focus on providing factual, evidence-based information and support to help others navigate menopause and mental health.” Diane Danzebrink – Menopause Support
Care Keynote Stage Day 1
With so many great options for attendees at Care Show Birmingham 2024 it is understandable to have your attention divided. Make sure you make time for some of the engaging sessions we have listed above. And don’t forget to come visit us on stand G40, we’ve got plenty more surprises in store!
Community is at the heart of quality care. At Nourish Care we are indebted to our community of users, one that spans a range of care types and locations in the UK. We know that the best results come from clear communication and committed collaboration. Our users frequently provide the inspiration and insight that drives the development of our platform. So, it is only natural that we are always looking for opportunities to connect directly with our users. This summer we welcomed over 70 of our valued users to The Gherkin in London for our customer conference. The conference took place over an afternoon and featured idea sharing, our latest product road map and some inspirational talks from guests and Nourish leaders.
Welcome Drinks at The Gherkin
The best place to start is always at the beginning, and there’s no better beginning than a drinks reception. The conference kicked off at lunchtime with a selection of drinks and ‘mocktails’ provided by the lovely Gherkin staff. It takes two separate lifts to get to the iconic floor 39, known locally as ‘The Helix’. The magnificent view of London’s skyline slowly started to fill with chatter as the attendees made their way up. The sound of conversation quickly filled the floor and provided a wonderful soundtrack to the view.
Keynote Speaker: Dr Waheed Arian
Once everyone had proceeded upstairs to ‘The Iris’, the famous glass dome at the top of the Gherkin for lunch, a delectable chicken ballotine followed by a lemon and ginger posset, it was time for the presentations. The first speaker of the afternoon was the incredible Dr Waheed Arian. The doctor, humanitarian, and innovator shared his story with the audience and his perspective on ‘the business of compassion’. Everyone in the room shared his vision of providing health and care support through passion. He detailed the sense of pride and joy we all receive from working with people, and implored attendees not to fall victim to overt self-criticism at our perceived failures. The last question, ‘what does care mean to you?’ carried with it an implicit instruction, ‘Do not lose sight of what you mean to others’.
An Insight into Nourish
We all took a break following Dr Arian’s evocative presentation. Upon returning it was time for the Nourish representatives to take to the stage.
First up was Nourish founder Nuno Almeida. Nuno took us through a brief history of the past few years, the pandemic, supply chain issues around the world and reassured us all with the fact that quite frankly, ‘there is no return to normal’. This stark and honest reflection underpinned Nuno’s entire talk. In a world of constant change (did you know there’s 70 elections happening around the world this year?) we turn to the people we trust for support. This rings true in technology as it does in care. Reiterating Nourish’s focus on building our team to be the right people for the challenge ahead, Nuno painted a picture of a bright, and collaborative future.
The Future of Product Design
Next up was our new Chief Product Officer Matthew Stewart to discuss our new product agenda. Matthew brings a wealth of experience to his role and demonstrated how this is already benefiting Nourish. The talk focused on the key areas of our new product agenda, and how we will be moving forward. Crucially, the session ended with an open Q&A to promote collaboration and idea sharing. Several attendees shared their perspectives and helped further focus the product agenda as we move forward. Co-production is a vital tool for the future development of care, and this is especially true for the development of care technology.
Nourish Partnership Programme
The development of care technology does not have to be a lonely road, as we learned in the last session of our conference. Our Director of Partnerships and Business Engagement Denise Tack detailed the motivation and success of our emerging Nourish Partnership Programme. She was joined on stage by Camascope’s Customer Director Saurabh Shah and PainChek’s Head of Business Development Tandeep Gill. They explained exactly why our Partnership Programme is ‘not just an API hub’ but a collaborative undertaking. One built on a foundation of philosophical and technological alignment. We look for partners whose background, motivation and vision match ours at Nourish as well as their technology.
A Great Inaugural Event in The Gherkin
It was a great day for sharing visions all round. We are deeply grateful to everyone who made the trip to The Gherkin to join us for the day. It was a fantastic time overlooking London Town, learning about our users’ worlds and sharing our plans with them. We can’t wait for the next one, and plans are already in place to hold it in a more northern location so we can engage with our community across the UK.
The day was a reminder of the size, breadth and impact of the community we are a part of, and the joy and purpose we feel working with you.
The annual clash of ideas, innovations and insights held at the Excel London is only a few weeks away. Care Show London is a highlight of the year, bringing together people from every corner of social care. We will be heading down for the event on the 24th and 25th of April, with a few of our team taking to the stage themselves!
With increasing pressure on the health and social care system, enabling people, their loved ones and carers to take a more active role in their care journey may prove imperative. Join Jeremy Baldwin and Al Frisby from Nourish, who will explore the transformative potential of digital technology to promote self-management, family engagement and shared decision-making across social care.
Key Points to be Covered:
Changing Dynamic: Moving from passive care recipients to active partners in care. Digital as an enabler: Practical role of mobile apps, patient portals, wearables, remote monitoring in facilitating communication, collaboration and safe care. Providing access to relevant health information, treatment plans, and educational resources. Overcoming challenges and ensuring inclusivity. Addressing barriers to digital adoption. Ensuring accessibility and inclusivity for diverse populations.
Our aim is to provide valuable insights and practical strategies for professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders interested in harnessing the power of digital technology to engage and include people and their families in the provision of safe and supportive care.
Outstanding Conversations
We will also be joining The Outstanding Society on stage for a selection of their panel discussion.
Data has become a hot topic in social care recently. It has a huge potential to shape the way we care, and the way we review the care we provide. Join our Chief Product Office Jeremy Baldwin as he explores the incredible applicability of data to social care processes to help care providers deliver outstanding care. Jeremy will be joined by a panel of industry experts, including friends from our partnership programme, PainChek’s Head of Business Development, Tandeep Gill, and Camascope’s CEO, Kehan Zhou.
Our Chief Marketing Officer Lee Gilbert will be joining the stage with some Outstanding Society colleagues to discuss diversity, equity and inclusion. Social care has always been rooted in people, community and the goal of helping us to achieve our best lives by working together. In this pursuit our diversity is our strength. The panellists will share the experiences and approaches to promoting the differences that make us who we are, and how they can unite us.
VIVALDI represents a commitment to using collaborative academic research to address common challenges in Social Care. Through our work with The Outstanding Society we have played a key role in developing and supporting this research. Joining our Clinical Lead and Safety Officer, Carrie Taylor, is an experienced panel to discuss their research into reducing infections in care homes.
The Care Workers’ Charity Fundraiser
We are hosting a competition on our stand for The Care Workers’ Charity. When you visit our stand be sure to scan the QR code. To be in with a chance of winning a £100 shopping voucher! We ask that you make a donation to the Care Workers’ Charity when you enter the competition. However, it is not required to be included in the prize draw.
A Ticket to London
There are plenty of exhibitors to check out when you arrive at Care Show London. It can be a little overwhelming at first, so we teamed up with Home Care Insight to put together this ‘Top 5’ guide.
With so much to see, say and do Care Show London promises to be an incredible event not to be missed! You can get a free ticket by following the link below.
Social care is a special thing, and it requires a special person. We all know that it takes a certain something to work in care. The purpose and pride that comes from supporting your community drives so many people in our wonderful sector. For our UK Care Week Voice of the People blog we wanted to know what it was that drew people to work in social care, so we asked them!
“What drew you to work in Social Care?”
S. Ferron, Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust “I’m very passionate to be able to deliver high quality care to palliative and end of life patients at the most important time of their lives.”
Katie Thorn, Digital Care Hub “I work in social care because I basically grew up in it. My grandparents had a nursing home, which my mum then ran. I have many, many happy memories as a kid of running around, just spending lots of time with our residents there. I’ve worked as the carer, worked in operations, worked from the kitchen, and I just love this industry. I think it’s so amazing to get to support people, to really get know them, to find out all of the amazing things they’ve done throughout their lives, and I’m really excited to continue working in social care.”
Linda Knock, Harmonized Care Limited “I’ve worked for Harmonized Care for not quite five years, but I have worked in health and social care for 37 years and I do it because I want to be able to make a positive difference to people and I want to be able to help them to stay in the place that they want to be in, which is their own home usually.”
Adam Purnell, The Caring View “For me it was around the understanding that each of us is going to get old and each of us are going struggle with things that we need in the future and I want to have good care when I’m older so I wanted to join to provide that support for people now but also to inspire future generations so that as a country we can come together and provide the support for the needs that people have.”
Mathew Onwochei, Dignified Services Limited “First of all, because i needed a job, but when I came into the care industry, I found out that I’m giving my best because I’m a passionate about the work. I love people, I’m passionate, I’m compassionate about people. So I give my best because I want to. And I find that I’m doing it and I love it. Now I’ve been there for one year, and I’ve got an opportunity to get a better paying job. I said no because I love what I’m doing. I’m there to put smiles on their faces.”
Joshua Richardson, Care Workers’ Charity “I’m working in care because my auntie is a care worker. I can see how much she cares, see the work she does and how hard she works and how much help that care workers need. Working for the Care Workers’ Charity is a brilliant way of giving back and giving as much help to care workers as possible.”
Emma Kildare, Birkdale Park Nursing Home “The reason I ended up in social care was because I worked in the NHS as a hospital matron for a very, very long time and it became exhausting. I started to go to Burkdale Park Nursing home working on nights just to try and step back from the mainstream but then after a couple of years went on to days and now I’m back being a matron. It’s a completely different environment being within the nursing home sector than it is in the NHS.
What I enjoy the most is I’ve got an amazing team behind me, the manager is really good, we’ve got a very good relationship, the team are great behind me and I’ve got lots of autonomy to do what I want, to create my own team, I’m allowed to invent new things, implement new changes and we are in the middle of doing an improvement program to try and add loads of bits in that will enhance the home, enhance the resident’s care and we’re also developing all of our staff quite a lot as well.”
Vicky Lewin, I Care MK “I needed to get experience with vulnerable adults which is why I joined care, but I enjoyed it so much that I never left.”
An Industry of Passion
We all come from different walks of life, on different journeys to different destinations. Yet, as we spoke to people for our UK Care Week Voice of the People blog we found the common denominator of compassion and commitment from everyone we spoke to. It takes something special inside you to work in care, and there is something special in care that connects that part of us all together.
Spring has come and with it the new blossoms of ideas and opportunities. UK Care Week sits at the start of the social care events calendar, putting winter to bed behind us. We headed to the NEC in Birmingham excited to connect with so many people from across social care. Throughout the two days we enjoyed a wealth of examples about the potential and power in the future of care.
On the Stand
Our team immediately felt the energy of the event when we arrived on Wednesday morning. Our stand was a hive of activity as we welcomed old friends and new prospects. Many attendees were curious to learn about the specifics of our system, showing just how experienced with technology social care providers have become.
It also presented us with the wonderful opportunity to catch up with existing Nourish users and share our experiences first hand. Communication is the cornerstone of care for us at Nourish, and one of our favourite reasons to attend trade shows.
Our Partnership Programme Neighbours
Care is a community. Through our partnership programme we continue to develop integrations with many quality software suppliers in social care. Several of whom were also attending UK Care Week.
Within close proximity were Camascope, Sona, Workforce.com and Blaucomm, turning our section of the show floor into a fun Nourish Partnership Neighbourhood! While only around the corner you could find our friends PainChek, Homecare Association, and the Care Workers’ Charity. Plus Ally came by to say hi while they were visiting the show!
UK Care Week has a reputation for big name guest speakers and insight full industry experts and this year was the best yet.
There were a number of talks on the development of digital in social care. Digitising Adult Social Care (DiSC) provided an update on their programme, and the success so many providers have experienced since moving from digital to paper. Digital Care Hub shared their expertise, helping to illustrate the importance of safeguarding data and making sure we are able to use technology to innovate in a secure way. In keeping with this theme, they also led a discussion on generative AI and its potential impact on social care. Sharing insights from their ongoing ‘AI in Social Care’ roundtable events, which we are taking part in.
Our friend James Tugendhat, CEO of HC-One, shared his experience covering a range of topics in his conversation with Sam Lewis, editor of Care Home Professional. James highlighted the importance of having great managers, and how many of the Managing Directors of their homes started as carers, reflecting the understanding and ‘kindness is key’ ethos of HC-One throughout their organisation.
The CQC was, of course, a common source of discussion. While the new system is still in its teething process it is reassuring to be able to share experiences openly with so many different providers as well as the regulator themselves.
Yes, Minister
The headline act of the event was saved for Thursday afternoon. The Minister of State for Social Care Helen Whately. Care Minister Whately opened her seminar with a reflection on the commitment her government has made to social care, the funds they have made available and the reasoning behind them. She shared her vision for social care, a system with many a range of shapes and sizes, joined but different from the NHS, allowing it to respond to the unique and varying needs of communities across the UK. She also spoke about the success of the digitising social care programme and her continued desire for the adoption of digital social care records. Her session concluded with an open call for questions from the crowd, and a round of one-to-one conversations and selfies with attendees.
In Bloom
With UK Care Week behind us we are inspired by what we’ve seen and energised for an exciting show season ahead of us. We have Care Show London in April, as well as a number of smaller shows on the horizon. There is nothing quite like meeting people in person and immersing yourself in the wonderful wider community of social care.
If you’d like to get a more direct idea of what people were saying at UK Care Week you can check out our Vox Pop blog from the event here.
People drive social care. The people who provide care, those who utilise care, our families and our wider communities. When you want to know about the reality of social care you need to speak to these people directly. So that’s what we did! Starting off at the Care England Conference.
Championing Change
Care England are a force for empowerment and growth in the social care sector. Their recent conference ‘Championing Change’ reflected this focus. The day was filled with engaging discussions and shared insights as a who’s who of positive change in social care shared their stories and perspectives. There remains a lot of work to do in social care to achieve the future we want. But there was also plenty to be proud of on the day, and several attendees took some time to share their experiences with us.
“What makes you happy to work in social care?”
Sarah Jennings, Majesticare “The people that we look after make me happy. Making them happy makes me happy.”
Prof Martin Green, Care England “I think it’s the impact we have on the people we support and I see lots of people who tell me that their lives have been transformed.
For example, I was with somebody the other day and she told me that she’d been living in her own home, she was really frightened, her husband had died, and then she came into a care home and she said it was a new lease of life.”
Raina Summerson, Agincare “My happiest moments in social care are when we’re taking over the transfer of services that have not been invested in or at risk of closure and you go in and you breathe that new life into someone’s home or someone’s service delivery. You work with them and you work with the workforce, you turn it around and you just have that positive buzz of making a difference in people’s lives.”
Vic Fitzwalter, Jewish Care To increase staff involvement, we introduced a board in the office when a member of staff does something exceptional. They come in, use a different colour pen and write on the board. Then we speak about it and give them a clap. The board is full of exceptional stuff. It helps staff morale.
A lot of times the care team, they’re doing a great job, but they’re not recognised, so this is awesome.
Emmanuel Ali, Care Managers Ltd The technology that we brought into play has really helped us, technologies like Alexa were quite useful because [the people utilising our service] don’t need to wait for anyone of us to do anything for them. They can just talk and get what they like, [such as] people who like music, they just play it without waiting for anyone to come around to help them. It’s about enablement, you know, which they are very happy with.
Tony Seagroatt, HR Fit for Purpose I think of my mum’s experience with social care. To me, what was good about the care home was that, from the manager down, the communication was good with all the staff. Mum’s personal needs were taken care of brilliantly. She also had things that were important to her, like having her hair done. That was done every week. They involved her in all the activities. She was a very social person, she loved being with all the other people in the home. They were very welcoming when we went too. Whenever we wanted to go and visit her in the home. I think it was just a very positive experience for her.”
Anita Goyal, Goyal Foundation My passion and interest is really encouraging young people from schools and colleges to come in and learn about social care so that they can plan and design their career pathway. There’s a great space for careers in social care. And we have our second annual National Care Careers Conference. Which will be held on the 19th of November at the amazing Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Where we’re just going to give young people an insight and education around the social care sector. It’s a really positive experience. We’re going to have some amazing exhibitors and workshops that will teach and educate young people about various things like dementia.
I think that there’s much work to be done around that. Especially with educating young people so that they can grow up as being the citizens of the future. Where they can support help and understand how they can contribute to this area of work. Especially with research, with discoveries, also supporting on social care side as well.
Jodie Allen Cawley, Lifeways Care We have an initiative called Quality Checkers, and we have a hundred Quality Checkers in the organisation. They are people with lived at experience, who we support, who tell us about their experiences of the kind of support we provide, and what good looks like. We have some quality checkers that go on tour and give us this whole raft of feedback [across our services]. We have 11,000 staff who support almost 5000 people. So we harness all that feedback and then we come together once a year in our national workshop and we work through it all together.
What people have told us is working about the support we provide and what isn’t working about support provide. Then we co -produce solutions around how we can improve what’s not working and we would celebrate the stuff that is working and we’re doing that in a really interactive way.
A Care England Conference Celebration
There is so much to celebrate, so much to enjoy, and so much to champion in social care. It is our pleasure to work with so many amazing people, and our privilege to be a part of a community committed to driving positive change.
Why Professional Care Workers Week?
In the UK, the Care Workers Charity (CWC) provides support to carers throughout the year. In challenging times, they are often the lifeline that keeps carers afloat. The CWC also challenges misconceptions and helps shine a light on wonderful relationships, as well as many of the challenges that exist when providing care to others.
Our partnership with the Care Workers’ Charity enables us to support their efforts. So we look forward to every year’s Professional Care Workers Week, where we are able to participate, learn, and celebrate the wonderful world of care and the staff that make it happen.
Professional Care Workers Week Events
This year we enjoyed many fantastic talks and activities. Monday was spent learning about the realities of social care, how it affects those around us, and how we can drive change and have an impact. It was an empowering day filled with insights, followed on Tuesday by a roundtable on the future of the social care workforce. During the morning roundtable, prominent leaders led discussions, followed by a roundtable led by carers themselves in the afternoon.
Wednesday offered a chance for reflection and self care in the form of a wellbeing seminar led by the Voices of Care podcast host Suhail Mirza and the Care Workers’ Charity’s always inspirational Karolina Gerlich.
Tea Afternoon
Thursday was the day we had been waiting for the most. While we enjoyed taking part in the charity run the previous year, we (our knees) decided it would be better to focus on more sitting based fundraising activities this time.
What better way to enjoy sitting than with a cup of tea and some friends?
A great time was had by all sharing stories and munching on homemade snacks. In order to participate, several people made the trip into the office. This allowed us to catch up with old friends and relax. All for a worthy cause!
Preparing for The Care Show
We also took it as an opportunity to practise some of our games before The Care Show in October. With the games getting a little competitive it was a great chance to test the rules and make sure everything was working before our trip to the NEC.
Closing Thoughts
The posts of people heading out on the South Downs Trek came through on Friday morning, reminding us of last year’s endeavours, and the people who this week celebrates annually. Professional Care Workers Week is a great time to raise money, but also to take time to appreciate the incredible effort and passion carers contribute to our communities every day.
Our founder and CEO, Nuno Almeida, is featured on Care Home Professional’s cover for July 2023.
Nunoshares his thoughts onthesocial caresector, the growth and future of Nourish and how we align closely with the ambitions of our customers.
“We think we have the best product in the market. What makes the difference is our understanding of how a good digital product – with the right integrations, data science, sector knowledge, when all brought together – can translate into better outcomes for people needing care. We can do this from a single care home to hundreds of locations with a variety of types of care.”
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