Autumn Speakers Series: Is it just me… or have we listened and changed?

Sharon Blackburn has worked in the independent care sector for over 28 years, having previously spent 10 years in the NHS in a variety of roles. Sharon is currently Policy and Communications Director for the National Care Forum. She was awarded an CBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours for services to nursing and the not-for-profit care sector. She tweets at @NCFSharon She will be speaking at the upcoming BGS Autumn Meeting in London.

Care Homes routinely feature in the press and not always for the right reasons. Sadly the negative experiences and stories do little to help us all promote the amazing work that is being done with people who live in care homes up and down the country. Instead it feeds peoples’ already distorted views and understanding, including those of professionals. Andrea Sutcliffe, Chief Inspector for adult social care at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) talks about the ‘mum’ test – “would this service be good enough for my mum?” I would suggest the ‘mum’ test needs to be more up close and personal… “would this service be acceptable to me”?