People are at the heart of everything we do – that is the power of care! People-centred care was the big message echoed across The Care Show 2018 as it turned 20-years old, from the 3340+ visiting care professionals, to esteemed speakers and suppliers. And not just for the millions of people the profession cares for, but also the 1.47million people working in the sector.
Opening the show, Debbie Ivanova, Deputy Chief Inspector, Adult Social Care Services, congratulated the audience, reinforcing how much should be celebrated across the sector, despite “continued pressure and difficulties”. “It really is down to you and your hard work” she applauded.
As the UK’s largest completely care focused event, The Care Show welcomed its largest ever audience of operators and senior professionals across residential and domiciliary care. Housing a hotbed of the latest products, solutions and services on its marketplace show floor, the show hosted over 60 new supplier brands this year.
State of the nation
Revealing the findings of the latest CQC report on the adult social care sector, Debbie outlined five key areas of focus. Top of the list, Quality of Care, is dependent upon person-centred care, underpinned by leadership and governance she said. For Access to Care & Support, she highlighted the need to address the UK’s ‘access lottery’, whereby ineffective coordination of services, has led to fragmented care in some areas. Capacity to meet demand and the right workforce to deliver care followed, where Debbie highlighted the immediate need for a better strategy to recruit the right talent, reporting an over-dependency on agency staff. Commenting on funding, she said that while the short-term injection from Government has helped, costs keep going up, so addressing long-term funding for adult social care remained a priority.
Integrated services
Over 80 industry stalwarts took to the stage across two days, reinforcing the importance of a people-centric approach to exemplary care. To deliver this, many industry experts shared their desire for one umbrella care service. Bluebird Care’s Yvonne Hignell said industry must think differently, collaboratively delivering the care a person needs. While arbitrary barriers are being broken down, Downing Street’s decision to merge health and social care into one political portfolio as an example, she went on to say that “True innovation will come as we drop our egos and think more about the people than our individual job titles”.
Unlocking hidden data insights
Better sharing of data to deliver personalised care was represented across the show, where speakers, and suppliers shared best practice for bringing families, providers and departments together. NHS Digital’s Keith Strahan shared important updates on Information Governance, Cyber Security and the Data Security and Protection Toolkit and the new national offer of NHSmail for care providers, highlighting an urgent need to move away from archaic postal methods for resident notes.
The good life
What does a good life look like? questioned Alex Fox, CEO of Shared Lives Plus, as he advocated ways carers can build that personal relationship with those they care for. He feels it is important that we combine both the practical and medical needs of a person, with their social and emotional needs – “there’s never been a service for loneliness” he points out. His matchmaking recruitment strategy, which can take three to six months to get right, has seen 10,000 carers specially paired with people based upon compatibility. “Friends, family and fun is what it’s all about” he said.
Michael Corbett, Event Manager for The Care Show said: “Acting as a true barometer for the care sector, Care Show 2018 demonstrates just how vibrant, passionate and determined the UK is to deliver outstanding care to our vulnerable and ageing society. With visitor numbers up year-on-year, aisles, stands and theatres packed to the brim, and 97 percent of exhibitors already booked for 2019, The Care Show arms you with the highest quality tools, training and technologies to deliver exceptional care and operate a profitable care business.”
To find out more about exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities at Care Show 2019, please visit the web site at: www.careshow.co.uk
