Care England 2025 Conference Wrap-Up

On Thursday, 13 March 2025, the Care England Conference & Exhibition took place at Church House Conference Centre in Westminster, London. This annual event, themed ‘Game Changer, brought together professionals from the care sector for a day of insightful discussions, seminars, and networking opportunities.

The conference commenced with a welcome address from Professor Martin Green OBE, CEO of Care England, who emphasised the importance of innovation and collaboration in transforming care services.

“We called this conference Game Changer because there have been so many really pivotal things that have occurred in the year since our last conference. We have a Government, one with an enormous majority, and that is why we must ensure that we stand at the side of the Government as a critical friend. We understand what is going on within our sector, and we give clear messages to the Government, but we also need to acknowledge that we need to work collaboratively, and that will be the only way to create a change and influence the direction of travel. We have also seen this Government abandon the reform agenda, we’ve seen them bring in the Casey Commission, which is going to spend more time looking at the question. What this sector needs is the answer. I mentioned the Government majority because there is no excuse for any Government to hide behind evaluating the question. What we want from them is a vision for social care, an understanding of how it interfaces with the NHS, and a clear route to getting sustainable funding. That is not only about funding, but about how social care is positioned and regarded, and respected by the rest of system, and the wider system.”

Sir Julian Hartley, Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), followed with his presentation, providing a comprehensive overview of the CQC’s priorities for the upcoming year, focusing on the evolving regulatory landscape and the CQC’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the delivery of high-quality care. His address was particularly pertinent in light of the new CQC inspection framework, which places a greater emphasis on outcomes and the well-being of residents. The speech served as a timely reminder of the CQC’s role in driving improvements and maintaining accountability across the care system.

The morning also saw a powerful address by Ruth French, Operations Director, and Roger Catchpole, Managing Director, of Stow Healthcare. Their session, ‘Power to the Provider: Controlling your own Destiny in an Uncertain Future’, was a thought-provoking discussion on the autonomy and control that care providers can harness in the face of ongoing challenges. They shared their experiences of navigating a rapidly evolving sector, offering practical advice on maintaining control over operational aspects while remaining adaptable to external pressures. The duo stressed the importance of strategic leadership and the need for providers to innovate and develop resilience in their organisations to survive in the face of uncertainty. Their speech was well-received for its candid approach to the difficulties providers face and the steps they can take to empower themselves.

Following a buzzing coffee break, the conference welcomed Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State for Care at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). In his speech, Minister Kinnock provided delegates with a detailed overview of the government’s current priorities in health and social care. He spoke of the key reforms that the DHSC is driving, including initiatives to address workforce shortages, improve pay and conditions for carers, and increase funding for the sector. He highlighted that reality is created by the decisions made, with the prior 14 years of successive Government’s creating the current crisis in social care. Drawing on the need to root England’s character in a just social care system, he stated, “Societies should be brought to life with the inherent dignity of people” and later underlined that remedies to the crises in the sector will only be solved by collaboration of all stakeholders to enhance the small spaces in our lives, and create big changes.

Fiona Brazill, Head of Proposition for Sustainability and Net Zero at Capita Public Services, provided a thought-provoking session on how care providers can align sustainability initiatives with their financial goals. “Net Zero is not affordable, but steps towards Net Zero is affordable”, she declared, proceeding to provide practical steps that can be taken to reduce carbon footprints and implement sustainable practices without compromising the quality of care. Fiona highlighted various strategies, such as energy efficiency measures, waste reduction, and the adoption of green technologies, which can lead to long-term cost savings while benefiting the environment. Stunning the audience with facts such as a tonne of carbon being equivalent to that of a hot air balloon, her speech stressed the significance of understanding the impact that everyday operations within care organisations have on the environment. She pointed out that, just as financial budgets are carefully managed, so too should carbon emissions be viewed as a resource to be reduced, monitored, and optimised. Fiona highlighted the need for a mindset shift within the sector: sustainability is not just an environmental concern but also an economic one.

The Digital Panel was a key highlight of the afternoon, focusing on the intersection of technology and care. The panel brought together experts to discuss how digital transformation is reshaping the care sector, addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies. The panel comprised Katie Thorn from Digital Care Hub, Dr Michelle Tempest from Candesic/Digital Health Council, Christoph Marr from Marr Procurement, and Aaron White from Oakland Care. The speakers explored various aspects of digital adoption in care, from how technology can streamline operations to how it can enhance the quality of care and improve outcomes for residents. The conversation also centred around the importance of staff, both their uptake as a metric of success, as well as the value in recognising digital skills among potential workers as a means of adopting digital solutions to improve efficiency and reduce costs in the future. Thorn also underlined, “The more we digitise, the more we are at risk of cyber-attacks, with 30-40% of care organisations experiencing an incident worth reporting in the past year”, urging those in the audience to consider cyber-insurance given the inevitability of digitisation and associated danger. Projecting ahead, the panel also emphasised longer term trends demonstrating a rise in the sense of control and autonomy among contemporary society, and foreshadowed the implications of this constant access to health and wellbeing information in care settings, giving rise to interest discussions about consent, access, and preparing for a new, older generation with differing virtual habits.

Angela Boxall, Chair of Care England and CEO of Majesticare, delivered a thoughtful reflection on the key takeaways from the event. Her reflections provided a moment for delegates to consider the broader implications of the day’s discussions and how they could apply the insights shared during the conference to drive meaningful change in their organisations. She closed the morning session with an impactful statement: “Social Care is broken; it needs fixing. The problem is no matter how broken, we still make it happen and bring it home every single day.”

Following a delectable lunch service courtesy of Marr Procurement, the afternoon saw a range of engaging seminars by Boots, Weightmans, Mediahawk, Alsico, apetito, and Hempsons. Whilst all sessions saw great participation and satisfaction, a few notable insights were provided by Mediahawk’s share of data-driven insights into care home marketing, highlighting key enquiry patterns and the top channels driving demand. Meanwhile, the Weightman’s session provided valuable guidance on how care providers can navigate CQC enforcement actions, offering strategies to effectively manage and respond to inspections and improve compliance. The Alsico session addressed the important issue of menopause, which impacts a majority of the care workforce, offering practical solutions and insights into how employers can better support staff through this transition.

The second set of seminars was conducted by Towergate, Citation, Anthony Collins, Alsico, Skills For Care, and Ally Cares. Although all sessions provided indispensable insights, a standout was the Towergate session, which explored emerging workplace trends, focusing on how the care sector can adapt to changes in staffing, employee well-being, and the growing importance of flexible working arrangements. Moreover, for providers, the practical guidance from the Citation session on the key areas that care providers should focus on to enhance their CQC ratings, and the Anthony Collins focus on strategies for care organisations to effectively manage and develop their workforce within budgetary constraints, would have been incredibly crucial information in a question-friendly space.

In his closing remarks, Professor Martin Green summarised the key themes and discussions from the day while reflecting on the challenges and opportunities ahead for the care sector. His address offered both a sense of optimism and a call to action for all attendees to take forward the insights gained during the event.