2020 was an incredibly challenging year for Social Care. It has also been a year of incredible triumphs and bravery throughout our sector. Time and again providers have shown the ability for our care to adapt and overcome whatever lies in our way.
This resilience has carried us through 2020, and given many of us a renewed hope for what social care can achieve in 2021.
That’s why we have spoken to leaders across our sector to get their insights into what 2021 has in store for social care. We will be exploring these fantastic perspectives on topics such as reform, recruitment, funding, and technology throughout January.
Although we’re very excited to share these insights with you, we do appreciate the art of easing into January gently whenever possible, so to start off here are some quick excerpts for the experts.
Insights
Mark Topps, Registered Manager, Eastern County Care
Looking into the future at what 2021 will bring for social care is unnerving but there is light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel.
Karolina Gerlich, Executive Director, Care Workers Charity
We hope that 2021 will continue to recognise the huge contribution that social care makes to the society and that we will be able to see even greater public support and recognition for care workers, and for charitable fundraising.
Neil Eastwood, Founder & CEO, Care Friends
From a retention standpoint we will need to work hard to retain the new joiners during 2020 as their previous roles begin to return. Social Care now has a much higher public profile. It is time to convert that awareness into applications.
Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive, Social Care Institute for Excellence
Next year and beyond we need sustainable funding, a focus on preventative services and better workforce pay and conditions.
Michael Corbett, Care Portfolio Event Manager, CloserStill Media
Technology has finally become a staple necessity for care providers and 2021 should see the next levels of innovation be implemented.
Dr Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive, Scottish Care
The vaccination is really positive. But it’s not the end game. It’s the beginning of the end. And it’s a long journey through that tunnel to the light.
David Smallacombe, Chief Executive Officer, Care and Support West
I think that the whole kind of pandemic will have taught lots and lots of lessons, people will have learned about how they need to be thinking differently about what social care looks like. And I am hopeful that those lessons will leak through into the future.
Katie Furey, Operations Director, Cera Care
Society wants to be cared for at home, we should be enhancing everyone’s ageing journey to be a positive continuation of their lives to date. We can achieve this by using the best technology and gleaning insights from AI to truly prevent ongoing health concerns that put immense amounts of pressure on the NHS.
Big Ian Donaghy, Unique Keynote Speaker and Author
I think people have realised just how invaluable the people working in care are. I don’t think they’ve ever noticed before. Nobody ‘just works in care’ anymore. They Work in Care, and that feels pretty wonderful.
We might just get some new leaders in care who never even considered it.
