Housing conference to harness learnings from pandemic to shape future preventative care policies
A new national virtual conference is being staged to set out how the preventative role of housing can help England recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and use it as a catalyst for lasting change.
The ‘Recover, Reset, Regenerate’ conference will provide practitioners from across the health, housing and social care system with a platform to share their experiences and innovations.
The virtual conference, on June 24, is being organised by Foundations (the national body for home improvement agencies), the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and the Housing Learning and Improvement Network.
An interactive programme will be opened by Luke Hall MP, Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing. Other speakers include ADASS president James Bullion; Alex Fox OBE, chief executive of Shared Lives; Housing 21 chief executive Bruce Moore; and Chris Naylor, senior fellow at The King’s Fund.
Paul Smith, Director of Foundations, said: “The pandemic has underlined the crucial, preventative role that housing plays and the ability of frontline workers to adapt and change quickly. This conference offers a chance for housing, health and care practitioners and policymakers to share their experiences, learn from others and network virtually. We have an opportunity to reset the whole system. Housing is central to that reset as staying home has protected the NHS and saved lives.”
With Recovery from the immediate challenge and contingencies of the pandemic likely to take more than 18 months, Foundations highlights that there are significant opportunities to Reset and mainstream some of the urgent responses the sector has found to keep people safe.
In particular, the organisation emphasises that the COVID-19 crisis has provided an opportunity to embed a step change to services able to Regenerate communities and produce better outcomes.
Conference topics will include: opportunities to transform care at home where outcomes in the pandemic have been demonstrably better, effective remote support and assessments, and designing buildings with rather than for people and communities.
“Supporting people to live independent fulfilled lives in a home of their own is at the heart of the work of Directors of Adult Social Services,” commented James Bullion, President of ADASS.
“That ambition has shown itself to be even more relevant in the circumstances in which we find ourselves today. We are delighted to be working with people across the housing and care sector to build on the learning and innovation we have seen over the last few months as we look to reset the system.”
