Right at Home execs campaign for sector-wide collaboration at Social Care Summit

Right at Home is calling on all social care providers to join forces and “be the champions” for lasting reform.

Our CEO Lucy Campbell, and Heather Wehrle, Director of People and Brand, spoke passionately at the 2024 Social Care Summit about the need for care providers to work together and influence the next government to prioritise our sector.

Lucy delivered the keynote speech at the summit, which took place in London on June 11, outlining the challenges facing the social care sector and how we can overcome them as a collective.

She said: “Together, we can break down the barriers that hinder access to affordable, quality care. As a collective we must be the champions of change. Let's make the year 2024 a turning point, where we take the lead and leave our government with no option but to sit up and take action.

“We know what the challenges are, and we know what needs to be done - we just need to ensure we are heard, like never before.”

In a sector continuously overlooked by the government, Right at Home is passionate about making ourselves heard, by spearheading national campaigns, lobbying for reform and driving collective influence. 

In our latest move to achieve a united front, we are calling on all care providers to engage with their local MPs and make them aware of our common challenges and key recommendations for transforming the sector.

We have created a letter template to MPs, and Lucy made this available for all delegates to download via a QR code during the Social Care Summit.

Later in the day, Heather joined a panel of experts to discuss the opportunities for improving the recruitment and retention of quality care professionals.

She spoke about what home care providers can do to professionalise the sector, and the “duty” we have as leaders to educate the public and politicians on the critical work provided by community care professionals everywhere.

Speaking after the summit, she said: “I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the recruitment panel - a topic very close to my heart. The time is now to pull together and demonstrate the true impact of quality care on our clients, their families and the wider communities they serve – there is power in numbers.”

Heather and Lucy were joined by Hayleigh Jennings, Recruitment Executive at Right at Home Guildford, at the summit.

She spoke to delegates about how the role of a care professional has taken a noticeable shift towards providing more advanced care, and how this has enabled Right at Home to ensure Clients can remain living independently at home for longer.

“When I first started in care, a CareGiver’s role was known more for companionship than the extensive services we provide today, such as clinical care and regulated activities,” she said.

“Training has become more extensive, and we are able to equip our CareGivers with the skills they need to deliver sophisticated tasks.”

Hayleigh also joined Lucy and Heather in calling for positive change for the social care sector.

She added: “More funding is required to ensure all care professionals receive the necessary skills to provide the best possible care. I believe we have a whole workforce waiting for the opportunity to enhance their skills and be recognised as the professionals they are.”