Care Sector’s Got Talent final: book your ticket now to avoid disappointment
Eight finalists will soon be revealed as Care Sector’s Got Talent builds towards its biggest-ever final – with the care sector urged to book early for the live show or tune in on YouTube
The care sector is being urged to save the date, book a ticket and get ready to cheer on its own as Care Sector’s Got Talent heads towards its biggest-ever final at the Care Show Birmingham at the NEC Birmingham on Wednesday 7 October.
More than twice as many applicants entered this year’s competition, and the eight finalists will be announced shortly – setting the stage for what promises to be a high-energy celebration of the talent, creativity and personality of people working across the sector.
Organised by Championing Social Care, Care Sector’s Got Talent gives people working in care the chance to step out of their day jobs and into the spotlight, showcasing talents ranging from music and performance to skills and passions from beyond the workplace.
Now, with the live final fast approaching, colleagues across the sector are being encouraged to book their tickets early via Eventbrite to avoid disappointment. Tickets for the live show are limited to 500, and already over 100 have been snapped up in the first two weeks of being available, so anyone wanting to experience the excitement in person is being encouraged not to leave it until the last minute.
The audience will be made up of care sector colleagues, friends, supporters and industry figures, all coming together to champion the people who work in social care and cheer on the finalists as they compete for the title.
And for those who cannot make it to Birmingham, there is another way to be part of the action. The full final will be available to watch on Care Sector’s Got Talent’s YouTube channel on Friday 9 October at 2.30pm, giving care homes and organisations across the country the chance to gather their teams and residents together and experience the show from wherever they are.
Whether watching from the NEC or gathering around a screen in a care setting, the message is the same: don’t miss the chance to get behind the people who make up the care sector.
Angela Boxall, Co-Chair of Care Sector’s Got Talent, says: “This year’s response has shown us just how much talent there is across social care, and we’re incredibly excited to reveal our eight finalists and see them take to the stage.
“We want people across the sector to make Care Sector’s Got Talent part of their plans. Come along to Birmingham, bring your colleagues, make some noise and support your fellow care professionals – or get together in your workplace and watch the show online.
“It’s going to be a brilliant celebration of the people behind social care, so if you want to be in the room, book your ticket now. We’d hate for anyone to miss out.”
Nye Brown, Co-Chair of Care Sector’s Got Talent, says: “Care Sector’s Got Talent is all about celebrating the people who work in care and showing the talent, creativity, humour and individuality that exists right across our sector.
“This year’s competition has had an incredible response, and we’re looking forward to announcing the eight finalists very soon. Then it’s over to the sector to get behind them.
“Whether you’re at the NEC on 7 October or watching together online on 9 October, we want people to join in, cheer loudly and celebrate our colleagues. This is our sector’s show – and we want as many people as possible to be part of it.”
How to be part of Care Sector’s Got Talent
Watch the live final in Birmingham
- Wednesday 7 October, Care Show Birmingham, NEC
- Places are limited to 500, so book early to secure your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/care-sectors-got-talent-2026-grand-final-tickets-1998355767896
- By registering for Care Sector’s Got Talent, you will also be registered for Care Show Birmingham, where the Grand Final will take place.
Watch online
- Friday 9 October at 2.30pm
- The full final will be broadcast on Care Sector’s Got Talent’s YouTube channel, giving care homes and organisations across the UK the chance to watch together.
Boutique Care Homes Breaks Ground in Wokingham
Boutique Care Homes has officially broken ground on Evendon View, its new 64-bedroom care home in Wokingham, marking the beginning of a development designed to bring exceptional care, meaningful community connection and around 100 new jobs to the local area.
The Mayor of Wokingham, Councillor Alwyn Jones, joined the Boutique Care Homes team at the site off Evendons Lane, where he donned a hard hat and hi-vis jacket before taking up a ceremonial spade to mark the start of construction.
He was accompanied by his mayoral attendant, David Dunham, Louise Timlin Councillor for Evendons Ward and local resident Barbara Stagles. Together, they toured the site, reviewed plans and heard how the landscape will be transformed over the coming months into a carefully considered home where residents can continue living with confidence, independence and purpose.
Evendon View will offer Residential Care, Boutique Care Homes’ specialist Nostalgia Care for people living with dementia, and Short Stays.
At the heart of the home will be welcoming spaces designed for everyday living and connection, including a bistro, lifestyle suites with kitchenettes, a hair and beauty salon and a dedicated hobby room. Landscaped gardens will provide generous opportunities to spend time outdoors, complemented by a nature paddock and wildlife orchard featuring around a dozen apple trees.
Councillor Jones said the visit had been a memorable addition to his Mayoral year. “Whilst attending a building site has been one of the highlights of my Mayoral year, I must commend your team on their passion and enthusiasm in explaining how a muddy area will be transformed into a luxury care home with outdoor areas where residents can enjoy the benefits of nature.” He continued, “you have thought about how you would wish to enrich the lives of the people who walk through your doors. The finished product will be a great asset to the residents of Wokingham and I look forward to receiving updates as the project continues.”
For Barbara Stagles, the visit offered an opportunity to see how the development intends to become part of the wider neighbourhood, rather than simply sit within it.
“It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday and I was very impressed with the enthusiasm and interest all the members of your team showed about the project,” she said.
“I was particularly taken with your plans for a wildlife orchard, which would be great not just for your residents but also the nearby community. I wish you well.”
Designed around the people who will call it home
For Boutique Care Homes, the development of Evendon View begins with the same principle that shapes every home within the group: the building should support the lives of the people within it.
Tom Duck, Development Director at Boutique Care Homes, said seeing construction begin represented an important moment for the project.
“Every home we design starts with the same question: how do we help someone live with confidence and independence, on their own terms? Seeing that thinking begin to take shape on the ground, with the Mayor standing there asking exactly the right questions about how residents will actually live in this space, is a genuinely proud moment for our team.”
The home has been designed to balance practical care requirements with Boutique Care Homes’ philosophy of understated elegance, creating comfortable, welcoming surroundings that feel considered without feeling institutional.
The gardens and nature areas will play an equally important role, providing spaces for residents to walk, sit, garden, enjoy the changing seasons and spend time with visiting family and friends.
Creating opportunities for the wider Wokingham community
Once fully operational, Evendon View is expected to create around 100 local roles across care, catering, housekeeping, lifestyle and other areas of the home.
Boutique Care Homes also intends for Evendon View to become an active part of community life in Wokingham.
Plans include welcoming local organisations to use spaces within the home for meetings and activities, as well as building relationships with schools and young people through visits and intergenerational experiences.
This approach is already established across Boutique Care Homes’ existing communities, where residents regularly build meaningful connections with schools, local groups, charities and community organisations.
Ameet Kotecha, Founder and Managing Director of Boutique Care Homes, said the groundbreaking represented a milestone not only for the business, but for the community the home will serve.
“Wokingham is going to get a care home built for the way people actually want to live in later life: close to family, surrounded by nature and never far from the things that matter to them. This is what Boutique Care Homes exists to do: bring genuinely excellent care to more families, one home and one community at a time.”
Evendon View is expected to welcome its first residents in early 2028. It will become the seventh home in the Boutique Care Homes family, continuing the group’s commitment to creating intimate communities where personalised care and genuine human connection sit at the heart of everyday life.
Boutique Care Homes has been recognised as one of the UK’s leading small care providers, including winning Care Home Group of the Year (Small) at the National Care Awards in 2023 and 2025.
Across every stage of Evendon View’s journey, from the first turn of earth to the day its first residents arrive, the ambition remains the same: to create a warm and loving family where everyone feels at home, and to deliver care so good, it’s unexpected.
To discover more about Evendon View or Boutique Care Homes, please visit www.boutiquecarehomes.co.uk.
Balancing Cost Pressure and Opportunity: How Can Care Leaders Build Financial Resilience?
By David Abbott, Managing Partner at BTG and head of BTG's national healthcare group
The UK's population is ageing fast. The number of people aged 65 and over is projected to reach 22.1 million by 2072, according to the House of Commons Library, eventually accounting for around a quarter of the overall population. As this growth piles pressure onto the UK's healthcare system, with care homes at the coalface, more facilities will need to invest in specialist provision to treat the older demographic and the conditions common in old age.
Why Does an Ageing Population Demand a More Resilient Care Sector?
The responsible approach is to invest in specialised care facilities early, in anticipation of this shift, rather than waiting until demand outstrips supply. As life expectancy increases and patient needs evolve, care homes that don't adapt risk undersupplying the same population they seek to serve. Old age brings a need for long-term, round-the-clock care, specialist rehabilitative support, and purpose-built environments, all of which demand continuous investment.
For homes already under pressure from higher staffing costs and constrained local authority funding, future investment can understandably feel like a secondary concern. Adapting must be built into long-term financial planning, which starts with acknowledging potential future shifts, being receptive to change, and recognising financial strain early. Financial resilience for care homes begins long before a shortfall appears on the balance sheet.
What's Driving the Cost Pressures on Care Homes?
In over 30 years of advising businesses through periods of both strain and growth, one pattern holds across every sector: acting early produces the better outcome, whether that is overcoming financial pressure or seizing an opportunity. Care is no exception, particularly during this period of persistent cost pressures fuelled by unsustainable staffing costs, disproportionate funding, and ageing facilities.
Staffing costs. When the National Living Wage rose by 4.1% in April 2026, care homes absorbed higher payroll costs almost overnight. The Nuffield Trust estimates that workforce costs rose by nearly 10% in 2025/26 alone, adding around £2.8 billion to the sector's wage bill.
The disparity between funding and the cost of delivering care. Fee income is not keeping pace with the cost of delivering care. Local authority care home fees rose by 4.9% in 2025/26 and home care fees by 5.3%, but these increases have largely been absorbed by wage and energy inflation, rather than adding to providers' margins. Local authorities are themselves under strain, which limits how far fee rates can realistically move in the near term. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) estimates that councils overspent their adult social care budgets by around £774 million in 2024/25 and have had to take mitigating action to balance their books.
Ageing facilities. With modern stock in short supply, new builds must comply with higher standards that align with long-term sustainability targets and ambitious environmental, social, and governance (ESG) credentials. Care England emphasises the sustainability-first stance embraced by many lenders, where competitive terms are extended in exchange for meeting environmental performance criteria.
Where Is Investor Confidence Heading Despite the Pressure?
From an industry growth perspective, investor confidence remains strong, with capital flowing into UK care real estate in the form of consolidation activity, new construction, and stock upgrades. This is evidenced by Welltower's appetite to invest £7 billion in the UK care industry, including the acquisition of more than 600 care homes across four portfolios.
According to Barbour ABI, construction contract awards more than doubled in four years, rising from approximately £416 million in 2021 to £1.03 billion in 2025. While bed spaces still sit below 2020 levels, much of that shortfall reflects the replacement of older stock, which underpins the sector's long-term viability.
What Are the Early Warning Signs of Financial Strain?
Care home finances must be considered beyond the headline figures, which are usually occupancy, EBITDAR, and fee income. In my experience, financial strain shows up gradually, in a handful of operational indicators that, when considered collectively, reveal more than a single metric.
Reserves shortfall. A useful test is whether a home could absorb a difficult quarter, such as a spell of low occupancy, an unplanned repair, or a delayed fee payment, without needing to draw down credit or cut into reserves. A Care Provider Alliance survey of more than 1,180 care and support providers found that 77% were operating with minimal reserves, with many already scaling back planned maintenance and capital investment as a result. When cash reserves are no longer sufficient to cover unplanned expenses, which is common in lifestyle businesses, the time for mitigating action is now.
Widening gap between income streams. Providers in less affluent areas often rely on a smaller pool of self-funded residents to offset lower local authority rates. If that gap widens every year, the underlying fee structure is likely unsustainable, regardless of occupancy levels.
Cost of modernising. UK care homes are ageing fast, and buildings of that age carry meaningfully higher running costs, particularly when the infrastructure requires modernising. While postponing capital works to protect short-term cash flow may be necessary, the longer the work is deferred, the more expensive the eventual fix, and the more exposed to regulatory or energy cost shocks the business is.
Rising dependency on agency staff. While flexibility in staffing costs is normal, a structural and growing reliance on agency cover, rather than occasional use to bridge short-term gaps, signals underlying pay, retention, or recruitment issues that are costly if unresolved.
Tightening terms from lenders. If refinancing conversations are taking longer, requiring more detailed cash flow forecasting, or coming with tighter covenants than in previous cycles, this often signals a downgraded health rating. Lenders are often the first to apply scrutiny before management teams have fully registered the shift.
Combined, these factors signal a growing need to review the home's financial framework, because if left unaddressed, the financial challenges compound.
How Can Care Leaders Build Resilience Before It's Tested?
The most useful thing a care leader can do is act early. This starts with treating cash flow forecasting as a forward-looking management tool. Modelling different occupancy, wage, and fee scenarios is critical to contingency planning and gives the board time to devise a Plan B or Plan C. This involves planning early conversations with lenders, investors, and other creditors before time pressures overcome the business and trigger emergency talks.
Refinancing based on a self-governed timeline, with a clear operational improvement plan in hand, tends to produce materially better terms than refinancing under lender pressure. The same applies to fee negotiations with local authorities and care commissioners, as a provider that can demonstrate a clear cost base with supporting evidence has a stronger case than a provider negotiating under pressure. Conducting performance improvement work and reviewing staffing ratios, procurement, energy contracts, and occupancy management are often most valuable when undertaken early and before a mandatory deadline hits.
The homes I've seen navigate this period most successfully are the ones that treat financial governance as a continuous exercise, rather than as a response to a covenant breach or a shortfall in capital. A capital investment plan backed by data-led research into upcoming trends, demographics, and demand is usually more fundable and deliverable.
As the UK's ageing population represents long-term demand for the services care homes provide, the providers best placed to benefit are the ones that treat financial resilience as an early priority.
Young Onset Dementia: Breaking Down Barriers and Creating Connections
Young-onset dementia is dementia diagnosed before the age of 65, sometimes affecting people as young as 30. It is estimated that more than 70,000 people in the UK are living with young-onset dementia, although the true figure is likely to be much higher because it is still not accurately recorded.
For those diagnosed, the challenges are very different from those faced by older people with dementia. Many are still working, paying a mortgage and supporting families.
Karen Thomas, Head of Young Onset Dementia at Dementia Forward, a North Yorkshire charity supporting more than 5,500 families living with dementia, explains how the charity has become a leading light in young onset dementia care and support.
‘Dementia Forward was established in 2012 to provide flexible, community-based support for all, but it was one family's experience that transformed our understanding of young-onset dementia.
‘A husband approached us after his wife, aged just 50, lost access to the day service she had relied upon. The alternative offered was a windowless room in a hospital where people spent the day sitting in armchairs.
‘His wife had been a swimming teacher. She loved the outdoors, was physically active and wanted purpose and companionship. We knew there had to be another way, and this is how Time Out Together, our outward-bound young onset groups, were born - instead of armchairs and hospital food, we offered walking boots and packed lunches.
‘Today, these groups, currently funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, enjoy walking, climbing, cycling, visiting museums, volunteering and taking part in outdoor activities that maintain confidence, friendships and wellbeing. Carers benefit from valuable respite and an opportunity to build their own support networks.’
However valuable this service has been for people living with young-onset dementia, Dementia Forward soon realised that supporting wellbeing was only one aspect of what needed to change for younger people with dementia. They realised that the accepted figures were significantly underestimated. The data suggested there were 170 people affected across North Yorkshire. Today, Dementia Forward actively supports more than 446 people with young-onset dementia, and these are just the ones they are aware of and who are accessing their support.
The needs of Dementia Forward’s clients are established in an initial home support visit. The charity then works in collaboration with community organisations and health and social care teams to create specialist services and raise awareness. Alongside the lack of age-appropriate community support, families face unique challenges, including loss of employment and income, so Dementia Forward developed specialist YO Dementia Support Advisors to provide bespoke advice and information. There are limited respite and residential care options designed for younger people, and this led to Dementia Forward working closely with their first care home to develop specialist young-onset dementia care, and the team is now using this learning to deliver training for other care providers.
As CEO of Dementia Forward, Jill Quinn explains, ‘we are sharing what we have learned so that others do not have to start from scratch. One of the biggest gaps we identified is the lack of specialist training for care providers.
‘People with young-onset dementia have different needs, different expectations and often very different lifestyles from older residents. Supporting them well requires confidence, understanding and practical approaches that differ to traditional dementia care. Too often, behaviours caused by distress or unsuitable environments are misunderstood, resulting in unnecessary hospital admissions or inappropriate mental health placements.’
To ensure this training can be delivered across the UK, Dementia Forward is working with training provider Able Training to increase their reach. The training draws on over a decade of frontline experience and innovative young onset services and provides insight into how symptoms may present, the specific challenges faced by younger people, and offers practical strategies to improve wellbeing and encourage age-appropriate activity.
For more information, visit www.dementiaforward.org.uk or email info@dementiaforward.org.uk.
Wish granted as care home reunites 89-year-old with beloved archery club after 40 years
- Colin Andrew is now an honorary member of the Friskney Bowmen Archery Club
An 89-year-old care home resident living with dementia has been reunited with a lifelong passion after returning to the archery club – more than 40 years after he last picked up a bow.
Local man, Colin Andrew, who lives at Hunters Creek care home in Boston, Lincolnshire had one simple wish when staff asked residents what they would most like to do as part of the home's 'Make a Wish' initiative - to play archery again.
Determined to make it happen, the team at Hunters Creek tracked down the Lincolnshire club that Colin was once a member at.
Despite living with dementia, Colin immediately recognised the familiar surroundings of the Friskney Bowmen Archery Club and instinctively remembered how to put on his own hand and arm guard before taking to the range.
Deputy home manager at Hunters Creek, Edgars Rezanovs said, “Colin’s natural focus and enjoyment were clear for everyone to see, and the club was so pleased to have him back that members made him an honorary member following the visit.”
Asked what he thought of the experience afterwards, Colin smiled and said, "Yeah, that's good."
Colin's wife, Nancy, was amazed to hear how much he remembered during the visit.
She said, "I honestly didn't expect Colin to remember the club or what to do because of his dementia.
“Hearing that he recognised everything, remembered how to put on his equipment and was so focused was such a lovely surprise. It means so much to know he was able to reconnect with something that brought him so much happiness.
“I'm incredibly grateful to everyone at Hunters Creek and Friskney Bowmen Archery Club for making it possible."
Colin moved into Hunters Creek, an 88-bed care home in Boston in December 2021, where staff regularly organise personalised experiences designed to reconnect residents with treasured memories, hobbies and lifelong passions.
Deputy home manager, Edgars added, "When Colin told us his wish was to return to his old archery club, we knew we had to do everything we could to make it happen. Seeing him back in an environment that meant so much to him was incredibly special.
"It was wonderful to watch him become so focused and content. You could see how naturally everything came back to him, and the smiles on his face said it all.
“Moments like these remind us just how powerful meaningful experiences can be for people living with dementia, and we're so grateful to Friskney Bowmen Archery Club for giving Colin such a warm welcome."
Members of Friskney Bowmen Archery Club said it was a pleasure to welcome Colin back and were delighted to see him reconnect with a hobby that had played such an important role in his life.
The visit is one of a series of wishes being fulfilled through Hunters Creek’s 'Make a Wish' initiative, which aims to help residents relive memories, revisit favourite places and enjoy new experiences that are personal and meaningful to them.
Care home turns summer fair into ‘Granny Jam’ festival bringing music, memories and community spirit to Louth
A care home in Louth, Lincolnshire transformed its traditional summer fair into a two-day festival, welcoming residents, families, businesses and the local community through its doors for its inaugural “Granny Jam.”
Meadows Park care home on Daisy Way, hosted its first-ever Granny Jam festival, creating a vibrant celebration of music, food and fun which saw more than 100 guests, including residents, family members, friends and people from across the local community.
The unique event saw the care home’s summer fair given a festival-style makeover, with local businesses setting up stalls, live entertainment taking place throughout the two days, and Meadows Park’s chef serving up homemade pizzas and a BBQ for visitors to enjoy.
One of the highlights of the festival was seeing residents become stallholders themselves. One resident showcased her handmade creations, with fellow resident Alison Payne, aged 70, purchasing a pair of earrings from her friend.
Alison said, “It was a fantastic event, but the highlight for me was buying a lovely new pair of earrings from my friend – what a great idea the festival was.”
The event featured 12 acts across the two days, including local singers performing classic hits from the 1960s and 1970s, a ukulele band and an immersive drumming session which proved particularly popular with resident, John.
91-year-old John Odlin took part in the drumming session and said, “I really enjoyed the music and getting involved in the drumming – it’s been a while!”
Families also enjoyed a range of activities, including bouncy castles and children’s arts and crafts put on by local businesses, helping to bring different generations together and create a real community atmosphere.
Money raised from Granny Jam will go towards the residents’ fund, helping to pay for future days out, trips and unique experiences chosen by residents.
Home manager at Meadows Park care home, Kelly Coulthard said, “We wanted to create something a little different this year – an event that wasn’t just for our residents, but for the whole community to enjoy and remember. Granny Jam was a fantastic way to bring people together, showcase the talents of our residents and create some wonderful memories.
“The atmosphere over the two days was incredible, and seeing residents, families, children and members of the local community enjoying themselves together was exactly what we hoped for. We have had such positive feedback that Granny Jam will be returning next year, and we’re already looking forward to making it bigger and better.”
Bidfood recognised as only wholesaler to achieve perfect marks in RSPO’s Shared Responsibility Scorecard
Bidfood has achieved a perfect score in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil's (RSPO) Shared Responsibility Scorecard for its own-brand products, placing the foodservice wholesaler among just eight retailers globally to receive top marks.
RSPO’s annual scorecard assesses organisations across a wide range of sustainability topics, including palm oil, sustainability reports, water and waste management, carbon data, health and safety, HR policies and support for smallholders.
Achieving a score of 10 out of 10 reflects a collaborative effort across Bidfood’s Sustainability, Technical, and Supply Chain teams, as well as its sister manufacturing brands, Yarde Farm and Northern Bloc.
Bidfood is also making significant progress with its CarbonCloud project, which will enable the foodservice provider to gain a greater understanding of the carbon footprint data across its range. This will support its net-zero ambitions to reduce Scope 1 and 3 emissions by at least 90% by 2045 and Scope 2 by 100% by 2040.
Bidfood’s CarbonCloud project will also further enhance collaborative supplier relationships and inform customers, so they can make more informed decisions around the products they buy.
Julie Owst, Head of Sustainability at Bidfood, said: "It’s an honour to be recognised by a world-renowned organisation committed to transforming the palm oil industry.
“This recognition demonstrates the importance of working collaboratively across our business and supply chain to drive meaningful progress on sustainability.
“While we're proud to have achieved a perfect score, we do not want to become complacent. There’s still a lot of work to do, and we will remain focused on building on this success, working together to reduce carbon emissions, water usage and food waste and be a positive force for change.”
Lidder Care Introduces New Accessible Minibus to Support Activities and Strengthen Community Connections
Lidder Care has made a further investment in its activities and wellbeing programme with the introduction of a brand-new accessible minibus.
The vehicle will support residents at Newgate Lodge Care Home and Lowmoor Nursing Home, as well as people receiving care and support in their own homes. It will provide greater opportunities to enjoy activities, outings and events across Mansfield, Ashfield and beyond.
The new minibus reflects Lidder Care’s commitment to enriching lives, promoting independence and helping the people it supports remain connected with their local communities.
Manjas Lidder, Managing Director of Lidder Care, said:
“We are delighted to introduce our new accessible minibus, which represents another important investment in the wellbeing of the people we support.
“It will enable more residents and home care clients to enjoy meaningful experiences, visit places that are important to them and remain connected with their communities.”
The vehicle has already made a positive impact, with residents from Newgate Lodge Care Home enjoying its first outing to Titchfield Park in Mansfield.
By investing in dedicated accessible transport, Lidder Care aims to remove some of the barriers that can prevent older people and those with additional needs from accessing the places, people and experiences they enjoy.
Community outings form an important part of Lidder Care’s person-centred approach, helping to promote independence, reduce social isolation and support people to continue living fulfilling and enriched lives.
Lidder Care has supported individuals and families across Mansfield and Ashfield for more than 30 years. The family-run care provider operates Newgate Lodge Care Home in Mansfield, Lowmoor Nursing Home in Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Lidder Care’s home care service, supporting people to remain independent in their own homes
Time to Rethink Care Home Inspections?
By Jayne Connery, FRSA FRSPH Founder of Care Campaign for the Vulnerable
One conversation can often crystallise what you’ve been thinking for years.
Recently, I was speaking with care providers about the realities of regulation. It wasn’t a conversation filled with blame or frustration. Quite the opposite. It was an honest discussion about the immense pressures facing social care and whether the current inspection model still reflects the realities of care today.
It left me asking one simple question:
Is it time to rethink how we inspect care homes?
Over the years, I have visited hundreds of care homes. I have walked into services that genuinely deserve to be recognised as outstanding. They are led by inspirational managers, supported by dedicated teams and provide compassionate, person-centred care every single day. Those services deserve every bit of praise they receive.
Equally, through Care Campaign for the Vulnerable, I hear from families when things have gone wrong. Sometimes the concerns relate to communication. Sometimes they involve leadership, staffing or safety. Occasionally they involve serious safeguarding issues.
One fact continues to concern me.
Many providers tell me they have homes that have not been inspected for five or even six years.
No matter how dedicated a provider may be, that is an extraordinarily long period in a sector that changes daily. Residents’ needs evolve, managers change, staffing fluctuates, new clinical challenges emerge and financial pressures increase. A report written years earlier may no longer represent the experience of residents and their families today.
That is not a criticism of inspectors. Nor is it a criticism of providers.
It is simply recognition that the current system is struggling to keep pace with modern social care.
The present inspection framework assesses services across several domains. They are all important, but I often wonder whether this approach has become unnecessarily complicated for the people who rely on it most.
Families are not looking for a lesson in regulatory terminology.
They want to know one thing.
Is this a good care home for someone I love?
Perhaps it is time to replace multiple domain ratings with one clear Overall Assurance Rating.
Not a score based on ticking boxes, but a professional judgement that answers the question every family asks before choosing a care home:
“Would I confidently place someone I love here today?”
Everything else should support that answer.
Instead of separate ratings that can sometimes paint a confusing picture, inspection reports could include a transparent Improvement Dashboard.
Families could immediately see:
- What the home is doing exceptionally well.
- Where improvements are required.
- What actions have been agreed.
- The timescales for those improvements.
- Whether those improvements have been independently verified.
That would provide clarity without oversimplifying the complexities of care.
Transparency should never be feared.
In fact, the best providers already embrace it. They welcome feedback, continuously improve and understand that accountability builds trust with residents, families and staff.
Another question worth asking is whether the funding model for regulation should also evolve.
Currently, providers pay significant fees towards the regulatory system. While there are understandable reasons why the system has developed in this way, regulation exists to protect the public interest. Public confidence is always strengthened when regulation is seen to be visibly independent.
This is not about suggesting that today’s inspectors lack integrity. Rather, it is about reinforcing public confidence that regulation is, and is seen to be, completely impartial.
None of these ideas ignore the enormous pressures providers face. Workforce shortages, rising costs, increasing complexity of care and financial uncertainty have created challenges unlike anything many services have experienced before.
That is precisely why regulation must evolve alongside the sector it regulates.
Good regulation should do more than identify problems. It should recognise excellence, encourage improvement, promote innovation and give families confidence that standards are being monitored continuously rather than measured by snapshots taken years apart.
Social care deserves a regulatory framework that reflects modern practice, supports providers to improve and, above all, helps families make informed decisions.
Perhaps the future of inspection is not about asking whether a home is safe, caring, effective or well-led as separate questions.
Perhaps it is about asking one question that truly matters.
Can this service consistently demonstrate that people are safe, treated with dignity, supported with compassion and cared for to the standard every family would expect for someone they love?
If the answer is yes, that should be clear. If the answer is no, families deserve to know exactly why and what is being done to put it right.
That is the transparency social care deserves.
78-Bedroom Care Home to Be Built in Yorkshire Market Town
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of a development site in Keighley, West Yorkshire, which has planning consent for a 78-bedroom care home.
The opportunity presented by the 1.4-acre site was identified by care home developer and land promoter Senang Developments, representing its second care home development transaction.
The consented care home scheme, which was granted in January 2026, will have 78 en suite wetroom bedrooms and luxury communal resident areas, including a lounge bar and bistro, cinema, activity room, hair and nail salon, sensory room, choice of lounge and dining spaces, and terraces and landscaped gardens.
The site is located to the southwest of Keighley town centre and sits off a main road, close to the local high street in an established residential area.
Meeting demand for care beds in an underserved town
Following a sales process with Sara Hartill at Christie & Co, the site has been sold to established care operator the Crown Care Group, becoming the latest addition to its pipeline of luxury care home developments. It is anticipated that construction will start immediately with completion forecast for late 2027.
We are incredibly proud to have revitalised this brownfield site for the Keighley community, providing much needed care home beds for an underserved town, and generating 80 new jobs for local people.
Thomas Shelbourn, Founder at Senang Developments, comments, “We are incredibly proud to have revitalised this brownfield site for the Keighley community, providing much needed care home beds for an underserved town, and generating 80 new jobs for local people. Matt Coulson from Plan5 Architects has designed a fantastic scheme, and it has been a pleasure dealing with Crown Care – a nationally recognised leader in the sector – who will now take the site forward."
Growing appetite for healthcare development in the North
Sara Hartill, Director & Head of Healthcare Development & Investment at Christie & Co, comments, “We have been delighted to support Senang on their latest care development and look forward to working together again as the business progresses its future plans.
“The strong level of interest generated for the Keighley opportunity, including several offers, highlights the growing appetite for healthcare development across the North. We are also pleased to have supported Crown Care with another addition to its development pipeline and continued expansion. We look forward to attending the opening in due course and wish the team every success with the next stage of the project.”
The site was sold for an undisclosed price.