5 things you missed at the Care Show 2019

This October we set up shop at the Care Show and introduced Birdie to hundreds of new faces. As the biggest event in the UK, solely dedicated to care, there was lots to see and even more to learn and of course, plenty of people to meet and talks to attend.

If you missed it, we’ve done a quick roundup of five invaluable things we learned at the Care Show.

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‍The future of care is digital

Well, we would say that, wouldn’t we? But, despite our own bias, just a quick glance around the care show revealed digital solutions for everything care related — from management software like Birdie, to rostering with Care Planner to security software, home monitoring, e-learning and even smart solutions for reducing energy usage. If you’re still using paper, it might be time to consider moving to digital solutions — with many exhibitors and industry experts stating that digitising care planning and delivery is the change we need to see in the industry to deliver better care.

Recruitment in care is taking a positive turn

Lots of talks at the care show focused on the need to recruit care staff, and how to overcome the staffing challenge. We hear first hand the problems that agencies and care homes have with recruiting the right staff, but the future looks positive. The National Adult Social Care Recruitment Campaign has kicked off its next phase, encouraging people to join the sector and top industry bodies are pulling together to change the perceptions of care. Initiatives like intergenerational care are laying the foundations for a new generation of professional care staff and the industry continues to grow.

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The Care Badge marks a positive change in the industry

If you’re not wearing your Care Badge with pride, the time is now. Launched on 26 June 2019, the badge (and the campaign behind it) is:

• Showing involvement with and/or support of social care in its many forms
• Building a team spirit within a widely distributed care community
• A personal commitment to quality in care
• An invitation to start conversations about care
• Encouraging recruitment and retention of care staff
• Reinforcing the size and importance of this often-overlooked care community.

“The CARE badge is an eye-catching and powerful symbol of pride in the quality of care so many deliver across the UK every day. I shall be wearing my CARE badge with pride and I sincerely hope all of you will get a CARE badge and raise the profile of care.”
Professor Martin Green, Chief Executive of Care England

Want more information and to buy your badge? Click here.

Online communities are thriving

As carers or care managers, you may at times feel isolated, especially if you work in the field or in a smaller agency. Jonathon Cunnigham MBE established STORM Care Manager Inner Circle on Facebook two years ago and today it has a thriving community of over 1,100+ Care Managers. The group aims to be a safe haven for those in the industry to talk, chat, share ideas or even just have a moan. Their annual face to face conference was held at the Care Show this year and celebrated Care Managers from all over the UK. If you’re not a part of it yet, you can join the group, here.

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Mobile/e-learning is paving the way

Working in the care industry, you’ll know that time is precious. Training is important, but all too often we don’t have the time or resources to deliver mass training that can take days, and require lots of input from staff. CuppaCare is one company aiming to change that — and the results so far are indicating that this might be the way forward for care providers. Delivering their training in ‘sips’ you can send high-quality, targeted learning and guidance to staff teams or individuals, just when they need it. Accessed through their phones, carers can spend a few minutes each day learning through bite-sized guidance training, perfect for when they have a few minutes downtime between care calls.

If you didn’t make it to the Care Show this year you can get tickets for next years event here.

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Oh, and if you’re interested in learning more about what we do here at Birdie, you can find everything you need to know, here.

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