That’s a wrap – The Care Summer Series Review

The Care Summer Series brought the industry together to share debates and discussions around key topics impacting care homes and domiciliary care providers. Supported by The Care Hub; there were six impactful webinars attracted many managers, owners and directors and discussed key themes including:

• The future deal for social care
• Raising the quality of care in the new normal
• Promoting integrated care
• Raising the profile of home care
• New care models going forward
• Supporting the care workforce

The Summer Series launched with Nadra Ahmed chairing a session on the Future of Residential Care; looking at the sector after the pandemic. Discussing with Jeremy Richardson(Four Seasons), Glen Garrod (Lincolnshire County Council) and Michael Vogues (ARCO) they looked at calls for social care to be nationalised, the momentum for change growing once again. Years of austerity has seen local authority budgets slashed and the fees paid to care providers cut and how this could be the start of an evolution as the care sector has been in the forefront of the public and government.

The Coronavirus pandemic has brought a new financial squeeze to the care sector.
Many care businesses were already working to tight margins due to austerity measures on public finances. Now they are in danger of being pushed over the edge. The second webinar discussed way of driving profitability while keeping quality standards to their highest. A great session chaired by Gold Sponsor Scott Sherriden (The Care Hub) talking with Jon Chapman (Pinders), Charlie Jones (BKR Care Consultancy) and Dr Sanjeev Kanoria (Advinia Healthcare).

To finish day one, the final discussion was  regarding Integrated Care and social care’s role in the new approach. With significant steps been taken towards the integration of care in England, this debate supported leads within all areas of social care and the NHS to help explain best practice opportunities in counties working together to provide a complete healthcare service.

Integrated care systems (ICSs) have a goal to better coordinate services and focusing on prevention. This system is backed by the Better Care Fund which requires CCGs and local authorities to enter into pooled budgets arrangements and agree an integrated spending plan. You can re-watch the webinar including speakers Rosie Seymour (Better Care Support Team), Raina Summerson, (Agincare Group), Conor Burke (CPB Consulting) and Rob Wester (South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation).

Similar to day one, day two started with a vision into the future. This time Jane Townson (UKHCA) chaired a session looking at the future of home care and if innovation and demand from families for their loved ones to stay at home will have a positive or negative impact on the domiciliary care sector. Jane speakers with Martin Jones (Home Instead Senior Care), Prof John Bolton (Oxford Brookes University) and Anna McEwan (Shared Lived Plus) to discuss how with the right support, there are real opportunities to deliver preventative services that promote health and independence.

The social care sector delivered a heroic performance to cope with the first wave of the Coronavirus pandemic.

It’s testimony to the resilience of the sector that thousands of vulnerable people have benefited from safe and supportive care during an exceptionally challenging time. The 5th webinar looked at quality and safety within care and how care providers can strike a balance after the pandemic.

A start studied line up of Maria Bamford (Anchor Hannover), Ewan King (SCIE), Debbie Ivanova (QCQ) and Professor Adam Gordan (University of Nottingham) al chaired by Drew Hunt (Painchek) discussed the pandemic has had an impact on care providers and what is likely to stay as the set standards in to the future and how we can learn positive outcomes from 2020.

The Care Summer Series was closed with Emma White and Marianne Davis from Skills for Care highlighting the really important topic of the impact the pandemic would have on your staff. With burnout and motivation having a huge impact, this webinar looked at what useful steps care home managers have taken during the first wave of coronavirus to help their staff; what they are doing now as the infection reduces, including psychological support; and how they’re planning for a potential

The virtual Care Summer Series is just the start of digital interactions we are offering to care providers and all those who supply this wonderful sector.

Coming up events below:

• 22nd September- Caring for the Carers - workforce challenges
  • Looking at culture, recruitment, retention, diversity and the impact of Brexit with the Immigration Bill
• 20th October – Preparing your Business
  • An action packed day looking at marketing, recruiting, technology and ways of developing you care business
• 25th – 26th November – The Virtual Care Festival – two days of digital stands, theatres and networking lounges to being everyone together.

For more information on any of our digital events, contact Mike Corbett – m.corbett@closerstillmedia.com