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Following recent elections, we are pleased to announce that the new Chair and Vice-Chair of techUK’s Social Care Working Group have been confirmed. Helena Zaum, Senior Industry Executive, Social Care & Smart Places, Microsoft, will take up the position of Chair, and Angus Honeysett, Market Access Lead, Tunstall Healthcare (UK), will serve as Vice-Chair.

The Working Group provides strategic direction for all Health and Social Care and Local Public Services programme activities related to Social Care, alongside the Health and Social Care Council and the Local Public Service Committee.

Since its formation in July 2021, this working group has served as an open forum for open discussion between industry, the NHS, and local government, promoting learning and facilitating the exchange of new ideas, showcasing best practice and fostering collaboration across the social care space. With the election of the new Chair and Vice-Chair, the Group will continue to engage with national stakeholders to work towards parity of health and social care, and shape the digital social care market in the UK.

Helena Zaum, Senior Industry Executive, Social Care & Smart Places, Microsoft & newly elected Chair yesterday said:

I am delighted to be taking over the role of Chair of the techUK Social Care Working Group, and would like to thank the previous Chair, Chris Gibbons and Vice-Chair, Max Parmentier for their work. With support from the Secretariat, they have established a strong coalition of organisations which share a desire to use digital technologies to improve outcomes for people and to support practitioners across the social care ecosystem. Never before has there been so much public interest in social care, and sadly the challenges facing both adults and children’s services have never been greater. Digital technologies, and the organisations which supply these to the sector, are in a unique position to support the innovation and adaptations which will be needed to meet the challenges we face. We must the bring the best of our partnership, creativity, and empathy to the table. My role as the social care lead for Microsoft in the UK allows me to consider the many opportunities technology offers to support transformation in adult’s and children’s services, as well as the opportunity to lead our work on integrated care systems in conjunction with my colleagues in health. I am looking forward to working with you all!

Angus Honeysett, Market Access Lead, Tunstall Healthcare (UK) and newly elected Vice-Chair yesterday said:

As an advocate for technology-led social care reform I will be working with Helena as Vice-Chair of the Working Group as well as representing the group on the Health and Social Care Council – I would like to thank the previous Chair, Chris Gibbons and Vice-Chair, Max Parmentier for their hard work and commitment and hope Helena and I can continue the excellent work they have already done. I am passionate about citizen-led living, understanding and delivering what people need to live their lives where they want and how they want tfor as long as possible. A key element of this focuses on digital inclusion, accessibility to services and working together to deliver joined up, integrated solutions. I want to encourage healthy debate, looking at how we can collectively lead and influence policy makers in driving social care reform and achieving the best outcomes for members. As part of my work as Head of Market Access at Tunstall Healthcare, I am in regular dialogue with health and social care leaders locally and nationally about driving change through proactive, citizen led solutions. My approach is to develop systems and processes for users, designed by users ensuring improved team engagement and delivery success and striving to achieve the best results through diplomatic involvement with all stakeholders. I am keen to see action rather than rhetoric – delivering the how rather than creating unactioned recommendations.

In this new iteration of the working group, we will continue to grow our engagement on adult social care but also have a focus on children services. If you would like to participate or a public sector that would like to engage with the group please get in touch with Rory (at rory.daniels@techuk.org) to learn more about the Working Group or to get involved in other elements of techUK’s Health and Social Care and Local Public Services programmes. The Working Group will meet at least once every three months and techUK will be reaching out to members of the working group to get their feedback on what we should be prioritising for the rest of the year.