Nearly 100 care providers recently gathered in London for an annual conference held by care purchasing network Spectrum Care.
Held on 17 September at the Holiday Inn Brentford Lock, the event featured keynote talks from Knight Frank partner Kieren Cole and Katherine Williams, head of regulation and care compliance at Fulcrum Consulting.
Opening the event, Kieren Cole provided a market overview of the UK care home sector, while Katherine Williams explored the new landscape of CQC regulation, noting a marked downward trend in inspection outcomes since 2023. Williams described the current system as a “game without the rules,” with providers facing vague standards, inconsistent scoring, and increased enforcement action.
The afternoon culminated in a panel debate chaired by Spectrum director Rishad Datoo, with contributions from sector leaders including Spectrum chairman Arif Pradhan. The discussion ranged from staffing pressures and regulatory uncertainty to innovation in care delivery and opportunities for partnership working.
Arif Pradhan, chairman of Spectrum, said: “This year’s conference has underlined both the scale of the challenges and the strength of the sector when we come together. The insights from Knight Frank and Fulcrum were invaluable, but equally important were the conversations between providers – sharing ideas, lessons learned and best practice. At Spectrum, we believe collaboration is the only way to meet the demands of an ageing population and a shifting regulatory landscape. We’re committed to growing this forum, and we warmly invite more suppliers, sponsors and members to join us as we shape a stronger, more resilient future for care.”
