The seminars will be covering current issues within the care sector and are free for visitors to attend. CPD certificates are available for seminar attendees upon completion of a Certificate Request Form which will be available at the show via QR codes that can be scanned in the seminar room.
Further speakers to be revealed soon. Stay tuned for programme updates.
2024 Programme
10.15am – 11.00am: Future-Ready Workforces: Balancing Retention, Wellbeing and Development
Engage in a forward-looking panel discussion exploring the intricate balance of retention, wellbeing and personal development, offering insights for cultivating adaptable and thriving teams in evolving environments.
Leah Cooke, Associate, W&P Assessment and Training Ltd
Dr Jane Townson OBE, Chief Executive, Homecare Association
Vivien Ziwocha, Group Operations Director, The Future Care Group
11.30am – 12.00pm: Social Care: Where Are We Now?
The political landscape is changing before our eyes. How will social care fare in any changes, and what are the major policy drivers for current and future governments. This session will draw on the latest understanding in relation to workforce, digital transformation, funding, new models of care and integration in practice.
Professor Vic Rayner OBE, CEO, National Care Forum
12.45pm – 1.30pm: Dementia Care Excellence: Crafting Enriching Approaches for Quality Living
Explore innovative strategies and compassionate approaches in dementia care excellence. Join our panel discussion on crafting enriching methods for quality living, promoting holistic wellbeing and enhancing the lives of those affected.
Nadra Ahmed CBE DL, Co-Chair, National Care Association
2.15pm – 2.45pm: An Update From the CQC
With the rollout of the single assessment framework almost complete; join us for an overview of the single assessment framework including the quality statements, evidence categories and how we will be scoring in the future. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions within the session.
Lorraine Tedeschini, Director of Operations, Care Quality Commission
Our speakers will be sharing their years of knowledge, strategies and tactics in our exciting seminars and panel sessions!
Take a look below to find out more about each of our experts and why you won’t want to miss seeing them in action.
Further speakers to be announced soon!
Leah Cooke
Associate, W&P Assessment and Training Ltd
Care RoadshowsLeah Cooke’s Bio
Leah Cooke is a registered nurse with over 22 years’ experience in the health and social care sector. Leah has worked in leadership roles within residential care from deputy manager through to regional operations and has experience of working with CQC as a specialist advisor, and taking on other focussed clinical roles that include care specialist and nurse development manager. Leah has been writing policies, procedures and best practice documents for the last 6 years for Residential, Care home and supported living/Learning Disability services. Her most current experience includes product development, ensuring digital solutions are fit for purpose and applicable for the Social Care Sector as well as in her consultancy capacity providing turnaround services for struggling providers as well as undertaking mock inspections and quality audits.
Dr Jane Townson OBE
Chief Executive, Homecare Association
Care RoadshowsDr Jane Townson’s Bio
Jane is the CEO of the Homecare Association. She is an experienced CEO, Chairman and leader of a range of businesses in regulated industries from social and health care to housing, and from food production to medical screening, that meet some of the most fundamental human needs. She has extensive experience in the not-for-profit and for-profit social care, health and housing sectors, including homecare, housing with care, supported living, care homes, training, and the NHS. Formerly CEO Somerset Care Group; Chairman YourLife (JV with McCarthy & Stone); and Vice Chairman UKHCA. Jane’s first career was in international leadership roles in research and development in ICI, AstraZeneca and Syngenta, where she was Global Head of Bioscience Research. She then established her own business providing consultancy and training on the link between nutrition and other lifestyle factors and health, working with private individuals and local authorities in the field of public health.
Lorraine Tedeschini
Director of Operations, Care Quality Commission
Care RoadshowsLorraine Tedeschini’s Bio
Lorraine has been CQC’s Director of Network Operations since October 2022, where she leads the operational teams in regulating health and social care across the region.
Lorraine previously worked in the civil service, most recently as Delivery Director for the South East region in His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service and prior to that in a range of legal and operational delivery roles in the Home Office. She also led Immigration Enforcement’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lorraine is passionate about leadership, diversity and inclusion and wellbeing. She is a Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a Mental Health First Aider. She is also a trustee of a charity that works with young people to educate them in the dangers of violence and to provide them with life-saving first aid skills and equipment.
Lorraine lives on the south coast with her husband, 3 children and 2 dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys running, kayaking, reading and going to the theatre.
Nadra Ahmed CBE DL
Co-Chair, National Care Association
Care RoadshowsNadra Ahmed CBE DL Bio
- Nadra has been involved in the field of Social Care for over 40 years. Her background is in training and education, which has been the passion that drives her towards quality services, underpinned and provided by a skilled and valued workforce.
- She has been the Chairman of NCA since 2001 and is a trustee of Royal British Legion Industries and Governor at Canterbury Christchurch University. She is also the Co-Convenor of the Cavendish Coalition, formed to work with the NHS and Unison to support workforce issues in Health and Social Care pre-Brexit. She is currently the Chair of the Care Provider Alliance which brings together 11 national representative bodies in the sector.
- Additionally, Nadra holds various positions within voluntary organisations delivering services to vulnerable people in the community. These include Vice President of HiKent a charity supporting people with hearing loss, Patron of Rockdale Housing supporting older citizens through a pathway of care and support, Vice Patron of Kent Autistic Society and a trustee of Spadeworks which is a charity to support younger adults with learning disabilities to learn skills and run a garden centre.
- She has been a member of a number of Government advisory committees in the DHSC including at Ministerial level and Government Taskforces. Through the Covid pandemic Nadra was the respected voice of care providers consistently both privately with DHSC and publicly.
- Nadra is a regular contributor to journals and conferences and is frequently called upon by major media networks to represent the views of Social Care providers both nationally and internationally.
- In 2006 she was awarded the OBE for her services to Social Care and the following year was appointed Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Kent and a Kent Ambassador.
- Nadra has been the recipient of many awards within the care sector from ‘Care Personality’ to ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Business Community’.
- In 2023 Nadra was awarded the CBE for her continued services to Social Care.
Professor Vic Rayner OBE
CEO, National Care Forum
Care RoadshowsProfessor Vic Rayner OBE’s Bio
Professor Vic Rayner OBE is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Care Forum, joining the organisation in 2016.
As CEO she chairs the government national workforce advisory group. In addition, she chairs the National Social Care Advisory Group on social care and technology and has been at the forefront of promoting digital transformation across care. She sits on a range of government and national specialist groups with a focus on the social care workforce, digital transformation, new models of care and regulation. She has recently stepped down from chairing the working group of the APPG on adult social care.
Vic is a regular national and international speaker and has extensive knowledge and expertise across a wide range of care, support, housing and social policy agendas. Prior to joining the NCF, she was the CEO of Sitra, a leading national membership body championing excellence in housing, health, care and support.
Vic is the incoming chair of the Global Ageing Network and has worked extensively with international partners on key areas of innovation and change. In addition, she was awarded an Hon. Professorship in Health Sciences by City University, working closely with the My Home Life programme and the wider University agenda around ageing and care. She was awarded an OBE for services to social care in 2021.