Care conference in Harrogate

The Conference Centre, Harrogate

I spent much of last week in Harrogate attending the Childrens and Adult Care Conference at the astonishing Harrogate Conference Centre.

It is a long time since I went to a conference of any kind.  I did wonder about how useful the experience would be, knowing that many regard these events as the next best thing to taking a holiday at one’s employer’s expense.

However since I was starting from a position of almost total ignorance, the fairly intensive programme proved a good way to get a handle on many of the hot topics that are concerning the world of Adult Social Care at present.

Co-operation between the National Health Service and Local Authorities that deliver Adult Care services is high on the agenda.  The Government has recently transferred funds from the NHS to Adult Care to encourage service integration and partnership working.  This meant that there was a good deal of input from officers from the Department of Health who seemed to be present at almost all events.

I was amused, when I attended a breakfast meeting hosted by the Department in order to discuss the Care Bill that is currently going through Parliament, to find that instead of healthy dishes of porridge or fresh fruit we were served delicious bacon butties!

 
I had hoped, while in Harrogate,  to find time to visit the legendary Betty’s Tea Rooms, pictured below,  where I understand the pastries are exceptionally good.  Unfortunately I didn’t make it, but the Department of Health  butties were some compensation