Candour Conversations Paragon Skills

This podcast, hosted by Lee I'Anson on behalf of Paragon Skills, dives into the world of the care industry, exploring its various facets and challenges. One of the key themes explored in the podcast is the role of apprenticeships in fostering a skilled and dedicated workforce within the sector.


The episode you're interested in, featuring Andy Ross, the CEO of the Caroola Group, delves deeper into the concept of gifting the apprenticeship levy. This innovative approach involves transferring the levy funds, typically used by businesses for training, to other organisations, in this case, the childcare sector. By doing so, the Caroola Group aims to address the workforce shortage in the childcare sector by funding apprenticeships and nurturing future talent.


The conversation with Andy Ross sheds light on the motivations behind this initiative, its potential impact on the childcare sector, and the broader implications for apprenticeship schemes and skills development within the care industry.

Data is essential for improving the quality of care in care homes. It can be used to track residents' health and wellbeing, identify areas for improvement, and plan and deliver personalised care.

The Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) is a free online data collection service that covers the adult social care workforce in England. 
The service helps care providers run their business and manage their staff training needs. It can also provide access to the Workforce Development Fund, a valuable source of funding for staff training.


The data collected is vital to the Government, the Department of Health and Social Care, local authorities and the Care Quality Commission as it allows them to plan, fund and monitor the sector.

To find out more head over to https://skillsforcare.org.uk/ascwds

Promoting a supportive and inclusive work environment that prioritises mental health is essential for the well-being and productivity of employees in the care workplace.

Today I am joined by Mark Topps. Mark is an award-winning social care leader who has spent over seventeen years working within the industry having gained experience in various roles across both healthcare and social care. Mark is passionate about improving the sector, both for the people accessing services and for those working within it. Mark is the Regional Business Manager for Essex Cares Limited, overseeing the reablement service with the local authority and has a care column with Log My Care as well as being a founding member of ‘The Caring View’ YouTube show, founding member of ‘The Health and Social Care Club’ on Clubhouse and the director at NACAS (National Association of Care and Support Workers), leading on their Marketing and Communications.

Dementia is an umbrella term for a range of progressive disorders affecting the brain, including Alzheimer’s disease.
 Today I am joined by Cheryl Baird, Director of Quality and Care at Orchard Homes. Cheryl has 28 years experience in health and Social Care and has worked as a registered nurse in both the NHS and social care. Cheryl oversees care quality and compliance for Orchard Care Homes. As part of her role, Cheryl is responsible for all clinical and care strategies and Orchards new dementia promise. Key elements of these are enabling excellent resident outcomes, including safe and effective medication management which has led to a reduction in psychotropic medications being prescribed.

Vision, values and culture are all essential components of a healthy workplace. A clear vision provides direction and purpose to employees, guiding their efforts towards a shared goal. 

Values define the fundamental beliefs and principles that guide decision-making and behaviour in the workplace, establishing a moral compass for employees.

Today I am joined by Lucy Buxton. Lucy desires to inspire, empower and support individuals and businesses to achieve their goals in an ever-changing world.

The population of England and Wales has continued to age, with Census 2021 results confirming there are more people than ever before in older age groups. Over 11 million people – 18.6% of the total population – were aged 65 years or older, compared with 16.4% at the time of the previous census in 2011.

There are many challenges that come with an ageing population. One of the most significant is the strain that it places on healthcare and social care services.

How is this currently affecting the healthcare sector?
What actions can the healthcare sector take now to address this?

Today I am joined by George Appleton, from Care England. George has had an incredible career at Care England, starting out as an Intern Assistant Policy Officer and working his way up to Head of Policy.  George has particular experience in demographic and epidemiological changes which have informed the policy landscape today.