Care Show London, the premier event for the adult social care sector, returns to ExCeL London on 30 April - 1 May 2025, offering invaluable knowledge-sharing, networking opportunities, and innovative solutions for care professionals through its comprehensive conference program and exhibition featuring over 200 suppliers.
Workforce Development and Wellbeing
The Care Show London 2025 places significant emphasis on workforce development and wellbeing, recognizing the critical challenges facing the adult social care sector. The event will feature dedicated sessions addressing workforce issues such as mental health support, professional development, and retention strategies across its five conference theaters. Recent research indicates concerning wellbeing trends in the sector, with 42% of care workers reporting high anxiety levels and only 41% rating their life satisfaction as high.
- Mental health support is emerging as a priority focus, with organizations like The Care Workers' Charity offering counselling services and grants to support care professionals facing financial and emotional pressures
- The conference will explore practical solutions including career pathways, qualification opportunities, and leadership development to address the sector's recruitment and retention challenges
- Sessions will feature experts from organizations such as the Homecare Association, Care Quality Commission, and Department of Health and Social Care, providing insights on creating sustainable workforce strategies
- Attendees can expect discussions on innovative approaches to workforce wellbeing, including flexible scheduling, improved compensation, and creating supportive work environments
CQC Compliance Updates
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is implementing significant regulatory changes in 2025 that will impact all care providers attending Care Show London. The most notable change is the full implementation of the Single Assessment Framework (SAF), which replaces the previous Key Lines of Enquiry with 34 quality statements organized under the five key questions: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led.
- The CQC is shifting to a more data-driven, continuous monitoring approach rather than relying solely on scheduled inspections, allowing for more responsive oversight and real-time quality assessment
- A new focus on workforce wellbeing has emerged, with the CQC evaluating how providers "care about and promote the wellbeing of staff" and support them to deliver person-centered care
- The framework introduces "rating limiters" that can restrict a provider's overall rating if they score poorly on certain quality statements
- Care Show London 2025 will feature dedicated sessions to help providers understand these regulatory changes and implement effective compliance strategies, particularly valuable as the CQC plans to review its interim changes in early 2025
AI in Social Care
The integration of artificial intelligence in social care is gaining momentum, with the AI in Social Care Summit 2025 at Rhodes House, University of Oxford on March 27, 2025, serving as a focal point for this transformation. This collaborative initiative, led by the Digital Care Hub, the Institute for Ethics in AI at Oxford University, and Casson Consulting, has expanded to include over 50 organizations working to ensure AI is developed responsibly in adult social care.
- AI applications in social care include automated compliance monitoring for CQC inspections, predictive analytics for risk assessment, and real-time monitoring systems that can enhance patient safety while reducing administrative burdens.
- Ethical considerations remain paramount, with the Oxford Statement on the Responsible Use of Generative AI in Social Care establishing principles like maintaining humanity in care—ensuring AI enhances rather than replaces human interaction.
- AI tools are being developed to support mental health and wellbeing in care settings, with solutions that can identify early signs of stress and burnout among care workers, enabling timely interventions.
- The sector is taking a collaborative approach to AI implementation, with working groups focused on specific tasks and a Co-Production Group ensuring technology is designed with input from care workers and service users.
Accommodation – Mercure London Hyde Park Hotel
Mercure London Hyde Park Hotel offers a stylish and convenient accommodation option for guests attending Care Show London 2025. Located just moments from Paddington Station and set in a peaceful garden square, the hotel provides easy access to ExCeL London via the Elizabeth Line.
