Our final episode of the current series of the care exchange, we are joined by Zoe Fry OBE from the Outstanding Society.   

Hear Pia, Wendy and Zoe reflect on previous episodes and discuss lots of interesting topics including: 

• Different ways to train leaders and staff  

• Proactively preparing staff for CQC assessments   

• Having conversations about LGBTQ+

Listen to Claire Callaghan talking about why her staff never want to leave and how she has not spent a penny on recruitment in years.  She credits this to a great recruitment process, a person-centred induction and a ‘listen to’ culture.  Claire also talks about their organisational commitment to diversity in the workplace and the support they provide around LGBTQ+, neurodiversity and menopause 

Resources

Induction toolkit (skillsforcare.org.uk) 

Data and publications (skillsforcare.org.uk) 

Using social media for care recruitment (skillsforcare.org.uk) 

Series 3 Episode 9: With good culture you can achieve anything

In the final episode of this series, we are joined by Zoe Fry OBE from the Outstanding Society who is also the host of the ‘Care Insights’ podcast. Together we look back at guests that have featured on both podcasts, and we reflect on the importance of positive leadership, leading by example and having a good workplace culture. We also discuss the benefits of looking outwards and learning from others.

Resources

• S3 E9 full transcript

Series 3 Episode 8: Our aim is to break down barriers

In this episode we talk to Aeon Anderson from the African Caribbean Community Initiative about lots of things including:

• what it’s like to manage a service that supports people from an African Caribbean background with mental health issues
• how to recruit the right staff, manage a diverse team and ensure that the staff feel supported
• planning and delivering learning and development that meets the needs of the individual staff members whether they are new to the service or have worked there a long time.

Aeon has been the Chair of the Registered Managers Network for a number of years now and was nominated for the West Midlands Registered Manager of the year award 2023. Aeon has received numerous awards including:

• Alicia Spence Award 2023 for supported housing services to mental health - A.C.C.I. Annual Gala and Awards
• Winner of the Wolverhampton Registered Manager of the Year 2023. (The West Midlands Care Association & Wolverhampton City Council)

Resources

• Confident with difference: our confident with difference resource supports you to consider how well diversity is embraced within your organisation and how you could improve.
• Guide to developing your staff: our guidance can help you plan, deliver and evaluate the learning and development you provide for your staff.
• S3 E8 full transcript

Series 3 Episode 7: Power our carers through renewable energy

Good Oaks Home Care is the first UK carbon neutral home care company. Ben Ashton, the co-founder and director joins us to talk about what you have to do to become carbon neutral, why it is so important and how it fits so well with values-based recruitment and retention. Ben also talks about his positive experiences and shares his learnings of recruiting internationally.

Resources

• RM membership : become a member of our growing community of registered managers and gain access to exclusive resources to support your role and service through membership. 
• RM webinar on CQC single assessment: view our recorded webinar to gain insight into the new CQC Single Assessment and gather practical tools and advice about the new CQC inspection focus and Quality Statements.
• International recruitment: take a look at various sources available to you to help you recruit internationally.
• S3 E7 full transcript

GoodOaks Academy offer a free online e-learning platform for the care sector, from registered managers to informal carers. Topics range from Healthy Eating in Older People through to Having Difficult Conversations. For more information take a look at the website.   

Series 3 Episode 6: Sometimes we need to take a breath and see the bigger picture

As registered managers, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily running of the service and not be aware of the bigger strategic changes taking place.

Jo-Anne Wilson, the registered manager of a Royal British Legion Nursing home joins us to talk about her work with the Integrated Care Board and the Social Care Nursing Advisory Council, being part of a documentary on dementia care and how she supports staff wellbeing with her 300 staff.

Jo-Anne has a huge passion for raising the profile of social care and, of course, we couldn’t chat to Jo-Anne without asking her about getting her recent MBE from King Charles!

Don’t forget you can nominate your colleagues for the Chief Nurse Adult Social Care Award which is open to all social care workers and nursing working in Social Care in England.

Resources

• Integration: integration is joint work across social care, health services, housing organisations and other service providers, who are now working together through their integrated care system (ICS) to join up the care and support they provide locally. Our resources have been developed specifically to help you to consider how to work across organisational boundaries to deliver seamless care
• Dementia: take a look at the resources and qualifications available to help you deliver better care for people living with dementia.
• S3 E6 full transcript

Series 3 Episode 5: It doesn’t matter the colour of the cat…

In this podcast, we talk about compassionate leadership with Rosemary Pavoni who is a retired registered manager. She believes that “It doesn’t matter the colour of the cat as long as it catches the mouse” – in other words, it doesn’t matter why you practice compassionate leadership as long as it achieves its goal.

Rosemary talks about her career and how she learnt that compassionate leadership is crucial in staff wellbeing, retention and in creating safe supported cultures. She discusses learning from mistakes, the importance of learning and development for new managers and how she misses being part of a team.

Resources

• People performance management toolkit:  a useful resource detailing everything you need to know about people performance management.
• Culture toolkit:   take a look at our range of resources and toolkit to help you achieve a positive workplace culture.
• Supporting the development of leadership skills: this resource pulls together all the resources and programmes available from Skills for Care to support leaders.
•  Leadership CPD modules: find out more about the leadership programmes and continuing professional development (CDP) modules delivered exclusively by Skills for Care endorsed providers.
• S3 E5 full transcript

Series 3 Episode 4: Be less British, be more American   

How do you become rated Outstanding in all five domains – not once but three times?   

Hayley Taylor and Dan Gower-Smith from Avenues South East join the care exchange and talk about how they did just that. They share how they ensured that their values are embedded into everything they do throughout the organisation, the importance of culture and the work they do with families. They share the ‘smile moments’ they have experienced and the importance of celebrating the things that do go well, but also talk about learning from things that don’t go to plan and how they love to use a spreadsheet for everything!

Resources

• Learning from events: this 35-minute interactive digital module is designed to support managers and leaders in all adult care settings carry out learning reviews.
• Inspection toolkit: take a look at the two versions of the Good and Outstanding inspection toolkit now available.
• S3 E4 full transcript

Series 3 Episode 3: I compare being a care home manager to a football manager

Multi award winning registered manager Ben Miller from Castleford House joins the care exchange for an extended chat about making continuing improvements to his service, to his recruitment strategy and to his role as a leader.

Ben shares how his thirst for learning has resulted in a complete transformation of recruitment, retention and culture within his service. He talks about how he has used podcasts and research about social care and other sectors to think about how to make changes and offers some top tips about how managers can use social media to both recruit staff and showcase the excellent work they have done within their service. 

Watch Ben talk about the changes he made to his recruitment and retention strategy in a recording made prior to coming on The care exchange.

Resources   

• Digital learning modules for managers: The eLearning modules include real-life examples of good practice that learners can connect with, relate to, and learn from. They’re interactive; keeping people engaged throughout using activities, videos and providing time and encouragement to reflect.
• Good and outstanding care: take a look at our range of resources to help you achieve Outstanding in your next CQC inspection.
• S3 E3 Full transcript

Series 3 Episode 2: I love data!

Paul Tolley, CEO of New Directions Rugby, shares how much he loves data and the importance of using workforce data within your service. He talks about partnerships - partnerships with volunteers, your local communities and other registered managers and the added value this provides to your service. We also hear how important it is to be part of your local community, how peer partnerships can prepare you for CQC inspections and how partnerships can ensure that you are proud of your service.

Resources   

• ASC-WDS: a free, online data collection service that covers the adult social care workforce in England. Join over 20,000 care providers using the service to manage staff records, training and qualifications information and gain access to the Workforce Development Fund. 
• Workforce Development Fund (WDF): claim funding towards training and qualifications for your team  
• Registered Manager Networks: our networks are a place for managers to come together with other managers within their local area to share knowledge, connect with peers and learn with others. 
• S3 E2 full transcript

Series 3 Episode 1: It’s not a soft cushion, scented candles approach to leadership 

Starting this series with a thought-provoking conversation is Professor Michael West OBE who discusses compassionate leadership.  

He describes how ‘listening with fascination’ is so crucial for managers and explains how to create more effective compassionate teamwork. He also talks about how to support a stressed workforce and why it’s so important to practice self-compassion.

Resources

• Does team size matter? 
• Compassionate Leadership by Professor Michael West 
• Listening with Fascination is included in Nancy Kline’s book Time to Think
• S3 E1 full transcript

Series 2 Episode 10: Perfection is the enemy of good enough

We speak to Andrew Davis, Managing Director of Right at Home Bournemouth and Poole.

Andrew reflects on how registered managers are often underestimated from those outside care, how he prioritises delegation and how perfection can be the enemy of good enough. Hear about the work that goes in to achieving an Outstanding CQC rating and how managers shouldn’t be afraid of blowing their own trumpet!

Andrew shares how they have used social media to promote the business, but also for their staff to feel a sense of pride for where they work and give them a sense of belonging. He also discusses the importance of always learning no matter how senior you may be as ‘you’re never too cool for school!’ 

Resources

• Social media masterclasses: We have masterclasses to support social care recruiters in using different social media platforms Facebook, twitter, Instagram and TikTokto find and keep staff. The masterclasses are available exclusively to our Registered Manager members.

Listen to Colin Scott talking about how he has used the Skills for Care LGBTQ+ learning framework in his care home for older people to create a culture where people can be themselves.  

Colin is the registered home manager of The Maples Residential Care Home, and he talks about  

how he has made changes throughout the service with surprising results and how he has worked to engage people, their families and the staff. Colin also encourages placements and volunteer opportunities for younger people and discusses how this benefits his service 

Resources 

• Confident with difference 
• LGBTQ+ learning framework 
• LGBTQ+ Good and practice webinar 
• LGBTQ+ Inclusion in the workplace course  

Series 2 Episode 9: Young people are the future of social care

Kirsty Armstrong, registered manager of Kelly Park Ltd a home care organisation talks about her huge success in offering work placements for students and employing young people as a result.

She believes that young people are the future of social care and registered managers have a responsibility to give young people a positive perception of the sector and the range of opportunities available. Kirsty also talks about some recruitment and retention initiatives including the nurturing of staff which has made a real difference for her organisation. 

Resources

• Guidance on employing workers aged 16 and 17: employing young people gives them the opportunity to start a career in care. 
• Preparing for your CQC interview checklist: aimed at helping managers of new care services to prepare for their CQC registration interview.  
• Care Friends: this employee referral app supports you to find and retain high quality care staff, by allowing your staff to refer their friends for job opportunities. 

Series 2 Episode 8: Registered managers are worth their weight in gold

Zoe Richardson talks about her role as a nominated individual. She explains how she sees the role as a job and not a title and how important she feels the role is in terms of ensuring registered managers are supported by continually asking “what do you need me to do?”

She stresses how much she values registered managers, and that organisational leadership is so important, because if “people think the leadership don’t care, then they don’t care.” She also talks about how important humour is to her and how it can really bring people together and help through the more difficult days.

Resources

• Nominated individuals: an important role for regulated providers, with a key relationship and responsibility to the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Take a look at the information and resources we have to support nominated individuals.
• Caldicott Guardian: it will be mandatory for adult social care services which receive public funds (local authority or NHS funding) to have a Caldicott Guardian by 30 June 2022. For more information take a look at these FAQs

Series 2 Episode 7: I don’t want to be just another suit

Jay Harper talks about his role as an area manager. He compares it to his previous role as a registered manager and admits that he is still a support worker at heart. Jay explains that ‘it’s not about me’ and proudly uses the word passionate in describing what he does to support people with learning disabilities.

Jay stresses the importance of a person-centred approach, being in the moment to ‘be there and feel it’ and to never under-estimate how being reflective can make you effective as well as the importance of developing yourself.

Resources

• Well led programme: Designed to enable registered managers,  other managers and leaders to deliver care in line with the expectations of a well-led service.
• Leading change – improving care programme:  Explore influencing and implementing changes to meet challenges and service needs.
• Digital learning modules for managers: Our 11 modules support the development of aspiring and new managers. Opportunities to reflect, ideas to improve practices, and motivation to learn more. Employers can claim £50 per completed module from the WDF.
• Workforce development fund (WDF): Employers can claim back money towards the costs of workers completing a broad range of adult social care qualifications, learning programmes and digital learning modules. 
• Learning disability: Our resources ensure that the right skills and knowledge are in place to provide high-quality care. Sign up to the learning disability newsletter to keep up to date.

Series 2 Episode 6: I’m a dictate obsessive

Ruth French the Operations Director for Stow Healthcare, an organisation that specialises in turning failed services around to become Outstanding talks about the importance of recognising that everyone is human and that we all make mistakes.

She shares her tips on colour-coded improvement plans, time-saving dictation, and golden gems. She also discusses why it’s so important to stand up and have your voice heard by telling your story and giving positive messages about social care in the media.

Resources

• Inspection toolkit: Skills for Care has lots of guidance which brings together best practice, recommendations, resources, practical examples, and learning so you can meet or exceed CQC expectations. Our Good or Outstanding (GO) range draws on practical examples from CQC reports and regulated providers, to share best practice, help you prepare for inspection and improve your service.
• Effective supervision: Effective supervision supports good working relationships, helps you to address any issues and celebrate achievements. It provides the opportunity to discuss learning and development. Skills for Care have various bite-size resources and guides to help you.  

Series 2 Episode 5: Sleep at night

In a specially extended podcast, we’re joined by Sanjay Dhrona who is the Managing Director of The Close, an award-winning care home in Oxfordshire. We find out the steps he took to change the CQC rating from Inadequate to Outstanding in five years.

Sanjay talks about how he made changes to culture, management structures and his ‘win’ folder. Sanjay also discusses how to develop innovative practices, the importance of training staff on LGBTQ+ and why he has become involved with the Outstanding Society.

Resources

• Recruiting for values: A values-based approach to recruitment and retention involves establishing strong workplace values and ensuring that your workforce matches them. Doing this will help to reduce time and wasted resources in recruiting the wrong people, and help your people deliver exceptional care and support.
• Inspection toolkit: Skills for Care has lots of guidance which brings together best practice, recommendations, resources, practical examples, and learning so you can meet or exceed CQC expectations. Our Good or Outstanding (GO) range draws on practical examples from CQC reports and regulated providers, to share best practice, help you prepare for inspection and improve your service.
• Confident with difference: Our confident with difference resource supports you to consider how well diversity is embraced within your organisation and how you could improve. 

Series 2 Episode 4:  I’m handy with a drill

Hear from Becky Coles who in 2020 became the youngest CQC registered manager of a newly built respite service. Becky shares her career journey, from work experience aged 15 through a range of roles via apprenticeships, to becoming a registered manager. She also talks to us about what it’s like to build a brand-new facility (hard hat included!), build up a team which feels like a family and develop local connections. 

Resources

• Workforce intelligence team: Our workforce intelligence team work with the data collected in Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) and share intelligence and insight into the sector. They produce various reports that help identify what the adult social care workforce in England looks like today and what it might look like in the future including information on registered managers. 
• ASC-WDS: is an online data collection service that covers the adult social care workforce in England. Join over 20,000 care providers already using the free ASC-WDS online service and discover all the benefits it can have to our sector and your organisation.
• Think Care Careers: find out more about careers in social care.
• Registered manager networks: We support over 140 local networks across England. Our networks are a place for managers to come together with other managers in their local area and share guidance and experiences and provide support. 

Series 2 Episode 3: Fly your wings

Mark Topps was a registered manager for six years, and in this podcast he reflects on his learnings during that time including the importance of sharing, making the role what you want it to be and having a good work-life balance.

Mark discusses the importance of standing up for what you believe and challenging things you don’t agree with. He also shares his top tips for using social media to network, find support and latest guidance. 

Resources

• Learning from events: this 35-minute, digital interactive learning module is designed to support managers and leaders in all adult social care settings to carry out learning reviews. Find out more about the module. 
• Putting the social media in social care: This blog talks about how social care providers can use social media for their organisation. Read the blog.
• Social care managers Facebook group: used every day by managers to support one-another by sharing advice, guidance and experiences. Join the Facebook group. 

Series 2 Episode 2: The snow globe effect

Martyn Dawes, registered manager and author, talks about how we all have a tendency to overthink things. He believes that for managers in stressful situations it’s important to stop, step back and create time to reset and wait for the answers to come. He also stresses the importance of making the right decisions, against making the easy decisions. 

Resources 

• Wellbeing resource finder: find trusted resources to support your own and others wellbeing. Access the wellbeing resource finder.
• People performance management toolkit: Managing people performance well has a big impact on the quality of care your service provides. It is key to motivating, supporting and encouraging your staff.  Find out more about our people performance management toolkit.
• Martyn Dawes – The Overwhelmed Manager. Find out more about Martyn’s book. 

Series 2 Episode 1: Springing out of bed in the morning  

Guest Kate Terroni, CQC Chief Inspector for Adult Social Care, talks about the sleepless nights she suffered before her first CQC inspection. She discusses how leadership is a privilege, how happy workers equal high-quality care and the importance of keeping well. Kate also discusses coproduction and it's importance. 

Resources

• Registered manager networks: Join a local network where you can connect with other managers at a local level, building a supportive network and sharing best practice and learning. Find out more. 
• Support for registered managers: At Skills for Care, we aim to provide as much dedicated support and information for our registered managers and front-line managers as we can. Some of the things we have available to help include: 
  • Social care managers Facebook group: used every day by managers to support one-another by sharing advice, guidance, and experiences. Find out more  
  • Registered manager membership: as the membership organisation for registered managers, we can support you with exclusive resources, discounts and a monthly newsletter to help you keep up-to-date with sector developments and best practice and share ideas with like-minded peers. Find out more 

Series 1 Episode 10: Everything is solvable

Hosts Ali and Pia reflect on the amazing managers who have shared their experiences and tips throughout the series. The conversation includes common themes that have emerged, highlights some of the useful suggestion’s guests have made and discusses how they relate to the new CQC strategy.

We’re extremely grateful to all the managers who have contributed to this first series of ‘The care exchange’ and celebrate the incredible work being done every day by registered managers across the country. The Care Exchange will be back with series two in October 2021. 

Resources

• Find your locality manager - as well as running workshops and networking events, locality managers can work with you to understand your organisation and facilitate access to our bespoke services.
• Support for registered managers - As the membership organisation for registered managers, Skills for Care’s support will help you with the issues you face on a day-to-day basis.
• Join a local network where you can connect with other managers at a local level, building a supportive network and sharing best practice and learning. Find out more.
• Registered manager webinars cover a range of topics to support managers and their services. They are 30-minutes long and are delivered to a live audience and recorded for further viewing.
• Wellbeing resource finder - find wellbeing resources that have been selected as particularly relevant for the social care sector. All the resources are from Skills for Care’s trusted partners and have been grouped into the topics. You can filter your results to reduce time and energy searching for resources for yourself and others.
• Delivering good and outstanding care - Our ‘Good and outstanding care guide’ shares recommendations and best practice from 'good' and ‘outstanding' rated services, under each area of inspection. You can use the guide to benchmark what you're doing now and decide where to make improvements.

Hear from Isabel De La Haye, a recently qualified solicitor who talks a lot about the new CQC assessment and shares her tips on how you can prepare for any forthcoming assessment by understanding your current position. She talks about the importance of checking the factual accuracy of your CQC report and understanding how your rating is created.  

Resources:

• Data Security and Protection eLearning - Digital Care Hub 
• Digital Care Hub - Run by social care providers for social care providers. 
•  Digital, data and technology (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Integration (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Local networks for managers (skillsforcare.org.uk) 

Series 1 Episode 9: Just try to add lemon curd

Azhar Juri talks about being a mental health nurse and registered manager of a residential care home for people with enduring mental health issues. 

Azhar shares their thoughts on developing a positive culture to support staff “to be the best they can be”, being honest with yourself and how WhatsApp is a lifesaver. We also talk about Azhar’s very personal journey and how Bollywood dancing changed everything.

Resources

• Mental health: our website has information on the skills and knowledge that staff who work in mental health services need, including the ‘Mental Health Core Skills Education and Training Framework’ that can help you to design and commission high quality training that meets the needs of the people that you support.
• Equality and diversity: our resources help to develop awareness of the standards on equality and diversity to allow you and your team develop an inclusive and confident approach to diversity. Take a look at our ‘Confident with difference’ resource.  

Series 1 Episode 8: Oh lovely, we’re home

Debbie Dry, registered manager of Windsor Lodge, a small care home for older people in Buckinghamshire talks about residents being at the heart of everything and how that drives her desire to constantly improve quality. She explains how she ensures that any training her staff do, is a learning opportunity for everyone and has an impact on the care delivered. Find Windsor Lodge Care Home on Facebook.

Resources

• Leadership Qualities Framework: describes the attitudes and behaviours needed for high quality leadership at all levels. 
• Learning from events digital module: This 35 minute, interactive module is designed to support managers and leaders in all adult care settings carry out learning reviews. Learning reviews are an approach that bring people together to holistically explore an adverse event or near miss. They allow teams to explore different perspectives and create a positive action plan that supports individuals and seeks to avoid repeat incidents. You can claim £100 from the Workforce Development Fund for every employee who completes the module.

Series 1 Episode 7: Can I run something past you?  

Our guest Joseph Hughes is from City Care Partnership. He is the registered manager of two outstanding rated services that support people with learning disabilities.

He explains that managers don't have to be the best at everything and shouldn't be afraid to ask for help. Joseph discusses how he wants his workforce to feel valued, comfortable, well trained and all with funded walking boots!

Resources

• Learning disability webpage and newsletter - we have a range of resources that explain what skills and knowledge workers need to support people with a learning disability, their carers and families, and how adult social care employers can develop their staff. Find out more and sign up to the newsletter for regular updates.
• Supporting individuals with face coverings and other COVID-19 related challenges: our guide sets out how to support people with learning disabilities and autistic people with some of the current COVID-19 challenges. You can also find a range of resources which include easy read documents, videos, social stories, and webinars - Find out more.
• Delivering good and outstanding care: our ‘Good and outstanding care’ range draws on practical examples from Care Quality Commission (CQC) reports and regulated providers, to share best practice, help you prepare for inspection and improve your service. The range includes free online guides, practical seminars and consultancy, and tailored support - See the resources.
• Registered Manager Network: Thousands of managers attend the local networks that we support across England. At each network, managers share knowledge, hear from guest speakers and access peer support. Our networks are now being delivered virtually and through WhatsApp groups. Stay in touch with each other during these challenging times and join your local network today. 

Series 1 Episode 6: It's your time to shine

We’re joined by Karyn Ross who is the registered manager of the Shared Lives scheme in Coventry. Karyn’s service has received an outstanding CQC rating in her last inspection and she shares how she used her mantra ‘plan, invest and record’ to prepare.

Karyn discusses promoting personal relationships, student placements  bringing new ideas and why her team are always open to learn new ways of working and continuing to improve.

• Good and outstanding care guide: Karyn talks about how she used Skills for Care’s ‘Good and outstanding care guide’ when she prepared for her latest CQC inspection.
• Skills for Care has resources on supporting personal relationships, developed in partnership with CQC:  the resources will help you to think about what your workforce needs to know and understand about personal relationships, and how they can create a training plan.

Series 1 Episode 5: You can’t juggle all the balls

Carly Rochester, manager of Lodge Group Care’s domiciliary home care service discusses her respect for home care workers, pandemic teamwork and how it’s so important to value your workforce. 

Carly explains the importance of using the workforce's different skills and how she has learned to delegate, let go of some responsibilities and trust and empower members of her team. 

Resources

• Partnership working: Our resource ‘An introduction to working with partners – a practical guide for social care managers’ would be really helpful if you’re thinking about partnership working. You can purchase a copy through our bookshop. 
• Delegated healthcare tasks: If like Carly your staff are providing more clinical tasks the delegated healthcare tasks resources can be helpful. The two short guides support decision making and provide information and guidance on delivering delegated healthcare tasks safely and competently.  

Series 1 Episode 4: It’s like watching poetry

Ronnie Lillywhite talks about being a manager in a supported living service. She shares her experience supporting a service to improve, why safety comes trumps every time and how she has remained focused on making improvements during the pandemic.

Ronnie explains why she has never felt so connected to her peers and how she has learnt to act with balance. 

Resources

• Recorded registered manager webinars: our registered manager webinars cover a wide range of topics and are delivered to a live audience, but recorded for further viewing whenever is convenient for you.
• Preparing for CQC inspection: Skills for Care has produced a range of guidance and advice to help frontline managers and others to understand how best to prepare. This includes an introductory virtual learning module, a practical checklist, and opportunities to commission in further expertise.

Series 1 Episode 3: The chicks were heaven sent

Marlene Kelly, the registered manager of Auburn Mere Care Home in Watford shares her views on the importance of concentrating on meaningful activities that provide occupation and connection. She discusses how the pandemic has helped her work out what really matters and highlights the importance of managers thinking about their own wellbeing.

Marlene also tells us about some very special chicks who visited the home during the pandemic! Follow Auburn Mere on Facebook and Instagram.

Resources

• Recorded registered manager webinars: our registered manager webinars cover a wide range of topics and are delivered to a live audience, but recorded for further viewing whenever is convenient for you.
• Wellbeing: See the Skills for Care wellbeing area for tips and ideas for you and your team.
• Action learning: Marlene shares how invaluable she has found the Skills for Care action learning set. Join a peer support action learning set by becoming a registered manager member. Once you’re a member you can also access our mentoring programme.
• Networking: Marlene is the chair of her local registered manager network. Find a network near you.

Series 1 Episode 2: Stay connected always

Sue Ann Nnamani, the registered manager of Priscilla Wakefield House in Haringey, London shares her approach to managing a large nursing home, including how she makes sure that values are embedded into the service, the importance of looking inwards and outwards and why it’s the simple things that matter. Follow Sue Ann on LinkedIn!  

Resources

• Recorded registered manager webinars: our registered manager webinars cover a wide range of topics and are delivered to a live audience, but recorded for further viewing whenever is convenient for you.
• Values: find out more about the tools we have to help you recruit people with the right values, including an example of how another home communicates their workplace values.
• Culture: ‘Creating a positive workplace culture toolkit’ explains what workplace culture is and how you can develop a positive one in your organisation. It’s for adult social care employers of all sizes, including individual employers.

Skills for Care CEO Oonagh Smyth talks about her own motivations within her role and shares her views on why the role of registered manager is so important. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss! Follow Oonagh Smyth on twitter!

• Supporting the diverse workforce within adult social care: recorded webinars: Featuring a panel of BAME leaders with lived experiences; the lively discussions focused on sharing understanding and generating ideas around key issues. Watch the webinars.
• Mentoring: You’ll have the chance to train to become a mentor or receive mentoring. Find out more about the registered manager membership offer.
• Peer to peer support: The registered managers networks offer invaluable peer to peer support.  Find out more about local networks for managers. Deputy managers can now join a network specifically for them. Find out more about the deputy manager networks.

Maddie Watts, the owner and Registered manager of the outstanding rated Inchwater home care chats to us about the preparation she is doing for assessment under the new single assessment framework and how to evidence good practice for CQC. Maddie talks about evidencing feedback of partnership working with other professionals and the benefits of reflective conversations to the continuous improvement journey. 

Resources

• Go Guide: Single Assessment Framework edition (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Inspection toolkit (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Being prepared for CQC inspection seminar (skillsforcare.org.uk) 

We chat to Jodie Allen-Cawley, Head of Quality and Health and Safety at Lifeways.   

Jodie talks about why co-production is the key to providing quality care and how it works in partnership with the people you provide care to. She explores how the ‘I statements’ and ‘we statements’ align with the new CQC Single Assessment Framework and, as a quality lead, how to evidence personalisation and co-production.  

Jodie also shares the huge range of co-production initiatives and processes that are taking place at Lifeways from their quality checkers, to involving people in the recruitment process and embedding co-production as day-to-day business within the culture of the organisation.  

“Ensure the people you support are at the heart of everything you do, then build outwards from that.” 

Stephen Forster joins the Care Exchange to talk about his success in recruiting 1000s of care workers. He shares his top tips on attracting workers, including how to create an amazing recruitment journey for each candidate and how to reduce no shows. We also chat about sending top tips to candidates before interview, creating attractive job adverts and value-based retention. 

Resources

• DBS checks (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Values-based recruitment (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Application and selection process (skillsforcare.org.uk)
• BHI Website (betterhiringinstitute.co.uk) 

For most of us, the answer to the question ‘what is most important to you?’ would be our personal relationships. Join us for a fascinating discussion with Dr Claire Bates about how we can, and should be, supporting people to continue the relationships that are important to them.   

Dr Claire Bates, who set up and runs the ‘Supported Loving’ network, talks candidly in this episode about how we should be helping people to have meaningful relationships, including where people want to continue with intimate or sexual relationships, and she asks the question ‘should a double bed be offered as default?’. Claire gives some great advice on how to create open cultures, reassure staff about having honest conversations and debunks some of the myths about what it is ok to say and support people with.

Resources  

• Choice Support | Supported Loving 
• www.shada.org.uk 
• www.enhancetheuk.org 
• A positive culture toolkit for adult social care (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• SfC Supporting Personal Relationships Sept21 (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Supporting personal relationships (skillsforcare.org.uk) 

We chat to Samantha Crawley, CEO of Bracebridge Care and Director of The Outstanding Society.  

She talks about why registered managers strive for Outstanding, and the impact of the culture of a service on CQC ratings. Samantha also shares some great ideas about how to tackle difficult team dynamics and she how uses an assessment centre approach to help with recruitment. You can also find out why she gives a free audio book subscription to managers in all her homes.  

Resources

• Culture toolkit
• Registered manager membership
• S4 E2 Full transcript

Series 4 Episode 1: What is your favourite chocolate bar?

Series 4 kicks off with a fascinating conversation alongside Neil Eastwood, CEO and founder of Care Friends recorded with a live audience!  

Listen to Neil talk about the secrets to recruitment including having a narrow and wide focus on attracting job applicants and how to connect with people in your local community. Neil also shares lots of tips on how to improve your recruitment and retention processes including texting, hosting a dog show, reserving parking spaces, welcome cards and even providing a favourite chocolate bar! 

Resources

• Recruitment and retention in adult social care: Secrets of success 

• Values-based recruitment

• I Care…Ambassadors 

• S4 E1 Full transcript

Series 5 of the care exchange has launched with a special live episode chatting to James Bullion from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

James covers many different topics including talking about his role as Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care at the CQC. Listen as he speaks about the CQC’s plans for making improvements, how it is important to learn from things going wrong and how to ensure consistency.

Resources

• The Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care
• Local authority assessment reports - CQC
• Go Online: Inspection Toolkit

We talk to Leah Smith, Chief People Officer at Berkley Care Group about their focus and strategy on neurodiversity. It’s estimated that 15-20% of the social care workforce identify as neurodivergent in some way. 

She talks about some of the cost-effective changes they have made to their recruitment processes including providing interview questions in advance and offering video or audio application options and walking interviews. Leah also discusses how this focus has led to a positive impact on the culture of the organisation with improved employee engagement and retention. 

In the podcast, Leah refers to a couple of resources which were a book called ‘NeuroTribes: The legacy of autism and how to think smarter about people who think differently’ and a website ‘Neurodiversity at work’. 

Resources 

• Values-based recruitment 
• A positive culture toolkit for adult social care 

Listen to Lindsay talk about her work for QCS and what she commonly sees in both 'good' and 'outstanding' services.  She gives some great tips on effectively auditing and making improvements. We also talk about her passion project around falls based on best practice research around falls risk assessment and how a 'falls huddle' can make a difference.  

Resources

• Guide to improvement; Learning from accidents and events digital module 

External resources on the falls project  

• Action Falls Train the Trainer Course | Action Falls Program | University of Nottingham Online 
• Best practice to reduce risk in your care home using the ACTiON FALLS programme | QCS 

Cheryll Champion, an ex CQC inspector working as a quality and compliance lead joins the podcast to talk about what she learnt as when her organisation was inspected under the single assessment framework, how she ensured that it was clear how the evidence linked to quality statement and the importance of knowing the regulations. Cheryll also speaks passionately about creating a culture that enable the people they support and colleagues to be themselves. 

Resources

• Local networks for managers 
• Creating a positive workplace culture seminar 
• Care workforce pathway for adult social care: overview - GOV.UK 
• Home - The Care Workers Charity 

Listen to Nicola Airey and Justine Jones who talk to us about how useful they have found utilising the care workforce pathways within their organisation. 

Nicola, Head of Talent Development at the National Care Group, explains how the pathway helps identify staff's career aspirations and development needs, leading to increased professional qualifications and career progression. Justine, Registered Manager at Oak House, shares her positive experience with staff engagement and development through one-to-one career conversations.  

Resources 

• Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification  

Listen to Kam Gill, Registered Manager at Walfinch Oxfordshire who talks about her role and involvement in the Oxford registered manager network. She emphasises the importance of connecting with other managers, your team and your local community. Kam highlights initiatives she organises like community events, exercise classes, and cultural activities to help foster local engagement and she shares the benefits of these community connections for both the service and the local residents. She also stresses the significance of recruiting and retaining the right staff, offering personal development plans, and maintaining open communication.   

Resources 

• Regional managers network directory 

• Social care managers Facebook group 

• Career and development  

ee talk to Louie Werth, Director of Care Research and CQC feedback expert! Louie discusses the importance of feedback in CQC assessments, how gathering and actioning feedback will improve your service and the quality of care you provide and the one question that the CQC will ask everyone. 

He shares how important it is that staff feel confident and prepared to give feedback to the CQC and suggests ways this can be done with regular training and practice. He also talks about how to set up surveys to gather feedback using the CQC quality statements to help structure survey questions, the benefits of conducting shorter surveys more frequently rather than one long survey, undertaking anonymous surveys to encourage honest feedback and the importance of having a separate process for handling complaints and compliments.

Resources:

• Wellbeing Report 2025 
• Home - Care Research 
• Managing a service 
• CQC assessment eLearning 

Hear from Adam Purnell, a Quality Assurance Manager at Bayswood Care Home who explains the importance of his role in ensuring compliance with regulations and improving care quality. He shares why knowing the regulations are so vital and how making actions SMART drives real change. He stresses the need for managers to focus on controllable factors, the importance of involving people in the auditing process, adapting audits to meet the needs of the service and how to develop effective action plans. 

Resources 

• Providing evidence to the CQC webinar Managing a service   

• Developing new managers and deputies guide  

Dawn Stott, a consultant specialising in kindness, resilience, and ethical leadership, discusses the importance of fostering a kind and supportive work culture.  

She emphasises the importance of integrating kindness into organisational culture, particularly in recruitment, and using culture questionnaires to tailor training. She is a huge advocate for self-care, mentorship, and psychological safety to foster a supportive work environment. Dawn also talks about her five pillars of kindness which are GREAT - generosity, respect, empathy, action, and trust which are crucial for building resilient, empathetic teams. 

Resources:

• Culture toolkit
• RM webinar: Leading Induction for a positive workplace culture 

• Registered manager membership, mentoring offer  

   

Caroline Cosh, registered manager of Outstanding-rated Clifton Homecare, talks to us about the importance of looking after her workforce. This includes person-centred staff supervision through direct observations, one-on-one meetings, and mentoring, with a focus on understanding and compliance. Caroline also talks to us about the benefits of having a diverse staff team, emphasising the benefits of a multicultural workforce, creating a supportive culture,  and even starting her own ‘Do you care?’ podcast.    

Resources 

• Care workforce pathway - Career and development 
• Supervision  

In this episode, we enter the world of HR. Sonia Rai, HR expert, talks to us about the importance of good HR advice, setting precedents, having difficult conversations, and creating evidence trails. Sonia also gives us an update on the Employment Rights Act and what you need to plan for.  

Resources 

• Induction toolkit  

• Values-based recruitment