Critical Business Thinking for Social Care Providers in Hertfordshire
Marketing Manager of Caremark North Herts and Stevenage, Sharon Stevens, along with approximately 100 attendees from home care businesses and care homes across Hertfordshire came together Hertfordshire Care Providers Association (HCPA) study session ‘Empowering Small & Medium Care Providers for a Stronger Future’.
This was the first of its kind to focus on the business side of care. Previous events, centering on care standards such as safeguarding and legal compliance. This session explored the often-overlooked areas of business planning, risk management, and digital marketing.
Business Planning in the Care Sector
The Business Planning segment, led by Rene Rogers from HCPA, guided attendees through effective risk management practices. She highlighted how to identify and close common gaps that could leave businesses open to different levels of risk.
This segment provided valuable insights for business leaders aiming to future-proof their operations and build resilience in an ever-changing care sector landscape.
While businesses recognise the importance of these practices, daily operations often cause them to be overlooked. Rene identified the key areas of businesses and digital marketing areas businesses should consistently prioritise.
- The need for an annual SWOT Analysis to capture new opportunities and using strengths to minimise its weaknesses.
- Updated pricing strategy to respond to the latest changes in overheads.
- Service delivery model – is the business meeting society’s changing needs? This could include asking the question “Are we positioned to accommodate more complex packages including mental health?
- Ensuring the business is engaging well with the families of clients/customers.
- Technology – ensuring the care management software is meeting the current and future needs of the care business.
- Robust cyber security measures, risk assessment, mitigation plans and business continuity plans.
- The importance of a robust quality assurance, record keeping and documenting system
- The importance of being CQC inspection ready.
Insurance & Risk: How to Protect Your Social Care Business
Another invaluable session was Insurance and Risk Management, presented by Ed Farthing of Howden, Senior Executive and Howden Health and Care. Attendees were given practical care provider insurance guidelines. They were also given a deeper understanding of how outdated or inadequate insurance policies could expose their businesses to unforeseen risks. This was an insightful session and a call to review and realign insurance policies with the realities of today’s market.
Ed made this complex topic very simple by explaining the power of insurance policies as a risk transfer and claims defence mechanism. He then explained how to ensure care companies are buying the right policy for their social care business in the following way.
- Assessing current insurance coverage
- Identifying common mistakes
- Opening effective conversations with insurance providers and providers should give regular reviews of policies.
Digital Marketing for Care Providers
Another information packed presentation was Advertising and Website Optimisation led by Marie Page from CarelineLive. In an increasingly digital marketplace, this session was a game-changer for providers. This event left attendees feeling empowered to take a more hands on role in boosting their online visibility, reduce SEO outsourcing costs, and reallocate budgets more effectively.
Marie delivered a step-by-step guide on SEO for care businesses:
- How to set up and enhance Google Business Pages.
- Content marketing techniques to improve SEO and drive local search visibility.
- Strategies to optimise care business websites for user engagement and conversion.
Recruitment & Workforce Development
with Sara Weir, Recruitment Manager of Herts Good Care gave an insightful presentation on the current landscape of in the care recruitment market, including changes in overseas recruitment. She also offered best practice tips for care businesses to get the best from recruitment efforts including using the Free service from Herts Good Care to advertising care vacancies.
Supporting the Business Side of Social Care
This innovative study session marked a significant milestone in Hertfordshire’s approach to supporting care businesses. By addressing key operational areas—business planning, insurance and risk management, and digital marketing—the event provided real, actionable value to care providers striving to grow sustainably and competitively.
About Caremark North Herts and Stevenage
Caremark North Herts & Stevenage, we provide high-quality, compassionate home care services that support people to live independently and with dignity in their own homes. Our dedicated team proudly serves the local community with personalised care tailored to individual needs—whether it’s daily assistance, companionship, or more complex support. We are committed to making a real difference in people’s lives, every day.