Care Intelligence Revolution

Policies and procedures are meant to keep people safe but for many frontline care teams they feel confusing, overwhelming, and disconnected from real-world care. In this episode of Care Intelligence, Tanya is joined by Elisha Kemp, Founder of EK Psychotherapies and one of the first expert contributors to OpenDoc, to unpack what policies really feel like on the ground and how we can do better. With over 14 years’ experience in mental health, Elisha has worked across inpatient wards, community services, and CAMHS, before going on to build a fast-growing psychotherapy service rooted in ethics, accessibility, and human-centred care. She brings a rare combination of frontline insight, leadership experience, and lived experience as a neurodivergent professional. Together, Tanya and Elisha explore: Why so many care policies become “tick-box exercises” instead of practical tools The reality of trying to use policies under pressure on the frontline How traditional policy formats unintentionally exclude neurodivergent staff Why accessibility, real-world examples, and lived experience matter in governance How OpenDoc is helping move policies beyond compliance and towards care excellence What collaboration looks like when the care community builds solutions together This conversation is honest, human, and hopeful. It is a reminder that policies do not have to be something we endure. They can be something that genuinely supports care teams to do their best work. 🔑 Key Takeaways Policies should act as guardrails for quality care, not barriers to good practice Frontline teams need policies that are clear, accessible, and rooted in real experience Neurodiversity must be considered in how information is written and shared The future of care governance is collaborative, expert-led, and community-driven. 🚀 What to Do Next Explore OpenDoc and see how expert-driven policies can support your organisation If you are a care leader or frontline professional, get involved and contribute your expertise Share this episode with someone who has ever struggled with policies at work 👤 About the Guest Elisha Kemp is a CBT Therapist, Clinical Supervisor, and Founder of EK Psychotherapies. With a background spanning inpatient mental health, CAMHS, community services, and corporate wellbeing, Elisha is a passionate advocate for accessible care, neurodiversity, and turning governance into something that works for real people.

In this episode, the Care Intelligence Revolution podcast features Jo Reid, director of Linq Recruitment, who offers an in-depth look at recruitment in the health and social care sector. Jo shares her journey into recruitment, emphasising the importance of aligning candidates' values with organisational culture to build resilient and engaged teams. She highlights the unique challenges of recruiting in this sector, such as high turnover, burnout, and the complexity of compliance and onboarding. Jo also discusses OpenDoc, a new project aimed at providing a free community-built policy library to help care providers stay compliant and focus on delivering high-quality care. This episode provides practical insights for care providers on building effective HR frameworks and improving recruitment and retention.   00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:11 Jo Reid's Journey into Recruitment 03:11 Challenges in Care Recruitment 06:31 Importance of Policies and Procedures 24:34 Open Doc: A Game Changer for Care Providers 28:51 Quick Fire Round 34:13 Closing Reflections and Future Hopes

In this episode of the Care Intelligence Revolution podcast, the host welcomes Carolyn Tipper, an executive coach with significant real-world leadership experience in both global corporations and nonprofit organisations. Carolyn shares her journey from a finance and retail background to social care, highlighting the pivotal moments that led her to find joy and purpose in the sector. She discusses the importance of planning, creating capacity, and the power of a high-quality 'no' to help care leaders move from a firefighting mode to a leading mode. Carolyn also touches on her work with the Open Doc policy library and gives practical advice on transforming leadership styles to create high-performing teams. Listeners are encouraged to rethink their approach to time management and to consider adopting a coaching leadership style.  

In this episode, Devan speaks with Julie Garrity, Former CQC Inspector, Registered Manager, and Regulatory Investigator with more than 20 years of frontline and regulatory experience. Julie breaks down what the CQC actually looks for when reviewing policies and procedures—and why many providers still fall short even when “the paperwork is done.” Whether you’re a Registered Manager, Clinical Lead, or care provider trying to strengthen governance, this conversation cuts through the noise and gives you real clarity on what good looks like. What We Cover • What CQC inspectors really look for in policies Julie explains how inspectors assess whether policies genuinely reflect day-to-day practice—not just what’s written. • Why providers struggle with governance Devan and Julie explore common pitfalls: templated policies, outdated documents, complex language, and policies that staff don’t understand or use. • The root causes of poor compliance From siloed information to fear-based compliance cultures, Julie shares real examples of what leads to “Requires Improvement.” • How to turn policies into living, useful tools Devan reflects on leading care groups with 18 Outstanding ratings, and how focusing on people and outcomes builds natural compliance. • Introducing OpenDoc Devan reveals why Health Connect created OpenDoc—a collaborative, real-world policy ecosystem designed to fix static governance and support shared learning. Julie shares why this type of innovation aligns well with what CQC want to see. • Practical takeaways for care leaders Julie’s top tips for compliance-ready policies: Keep them real and usable Link them to lived examples Review them regularly—not reactively Why Listen? If you’ve ever said, “We have the policies—why did we still fail?”, this episode gives the answers. Julie brings a rare perspective from inside the regulator, and Devan connects it to real-world practice and innovation. Resources & Next Steps Explore OpenDoc via Health Connect to turn your policies into living, collaborative tools that support quality care and continuous improvement.

🎯 Episode Overview: Policies. Procedures. Compliance. Three words that strike fear or at least frustration into the hearts of care providers everywhere. But what if policy management didn’t have to be so confusing, costly, or isolating? In this episode of Care Intelligence, we uncover why policies are such a persistent pain point in social care and how two leading experts are working to change that. Joining host Ruth Kyle are Tim Dallinger and Tina Welford, two of the most respected figures in the sector, who are helping to build OpenDoc, a new, collaborative platform designed to make expert-driven compliance simple, affordable, and accessible for every provider. Together, they explore how OpenDoc is transforming governance from a burden into a shared opportunity for excellence, bringing expert insight, real-world experience, and up-to-date compliance guidance into one living library of best practice. 🧩 In This Episode: 1. The Policy Pain: Why policies matter and why so many providers struggle to get them right. We unpack the hidden costs, the time drain, and the compliance risks that come with managing policies in isolation. 2. The Expertise Gap: Off-the-shelf policy packs aren’t enough. Tim and Tina reveal how real-world expertise makes the difference between paperwork that ticks boxes and policies that truly drive quality care. 3. Introducing OpenDoc: Discover how OpenDoc brings together leading experts to co-create and continuously update a shared library of care policies, saving providers time, money, and stress. 4. The Human Impact: From restoring confidence to freeing managers’ time for people, not paperwork, hear how expert collaboration is reshaping what quality and governance can feel like in practice. 5. Collaboration in Action: Why OpenDoc represents a new kind of leadership in care, one built on shared intelligence, not isolation. 👥 Meet the Guests: Tim Dallinger – With over 35 years in social care, Tim has held roles from frontline worker to Responsible Individual. As a leading trainer and consultant, he helps providers navigate compliance and deliver truly exceptional care. Follow Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timdallinger/  Tina Welford – With more than 45 years of experience, including time as a CQC inspector, Tina leads ECLM, supporting providers to strengthen governance, leadership, and quality across their organisations. Follow Tina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eclmtinawelford/  Compliance shouldn’t be a guessing game, and with OpenDoc, it doesn’t have to be. 👉 Visit health-connect.com/policy to sign up, explore expert-built policies, or contribute your own expertise to the community. 🎧 Tune In: Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and join the movement to fix the policy problem in care.