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- Adult Social Care Newsletter | Volume 61
Adult Social Care Newsletter | Volume 61
Plus: "Hey Geraldine" - How 1 AI chatbot is sharing 35 years of care wisdom💬
Rafe Houston
July 31, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
Welcome to Adult Social Care, your weekly newsletter offering the latest insights, strategies, and innovations empowering leaders to navigate challenges and drive excellence in the UK’s adult care sector. We're committed to keeping you informed and inspired with fresh ideas to tackle the year ahead.
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This Week in Social Care🔎
Rising demand, workforce shortages, and an ageing population have made innovation not just helpful - but essential. Nowhere is this felt more urgently than in the assessment process, where hours are spent transcribing conversations, structuring notes, and trying to reflect the person’s voice alongside statutory requirements.
That is why a growing number of local authorities are turning to AI to help lighten the load.
One new tool - co-developed with frontline ASC professionals - automates up to 80% of the assessment write-up, using AI to record, transcribe, and structure the first draft of a Conversation-Based Assessment (CAA). The remaining 20%? That is where professional expertise comes in: refining, validating, and humanising the final plan.
Press here to learn more☝️
Quick Reads📖
ADULT SOCIAL CARE
Adult social care vacancies in England have decreased, yet domestic recruitment remains challenging, with 85,000 fewer roles filled by British nationals since the pandemic. Despite a government push to reduce reliance on overseas workers, the sector needs 470,000 more employees by 2040 to meet demand. Investment in recruitment, retention, and development opportunities is crucial. |  Yahoo News |
AI IN HEALTHCARE
Peterborough City Council has implemented AI chatbot “Hey Geraldine” to capture veteran therapy practitioner Geraldine Jinks' 35 years of experience, offering instant, practical support for adult social care workers. It aims to streamline hospital discharges and improve patient access to assistive technologies, thus enhancing worker efficacy and patient self-sufficiency. |  DigWatch |
LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION
The UK government's local government reorganisation prioritises continuity and partnership in social care, emphasising collaborative opportunities across new unitary boundaries to ensure sustainable, high-quality service delivery. This approach is crucial for managing services effectively amidst significant reforms, aiding councils in facing emerging social care challenges with shared resources and improved efficiencies.
LABOUR MARKET TRENDS
Despite policy conflicts, England's adult social care workforce rose, largely driven by international recruits, reaching 1.6 million posts by March 2025. British staff declined by 30,000, impacting sector stability amid immigration policy changes. Urgent governmental action on fair pay could stabilise domestic recruitment.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT - HEALTHCARE DEVELOPMENTS
Resident doctor strikes in England are set to proceed despite government talks, sparking concerns over patient care amid planned service cancellations. Stuart Andrew has been appointed shadow health secretary, bringing experience from the British Heart Foundation. Maternity failings could cost the NHS £27.4 billion, prompting a national investigation.
NHS Confed