Jess McGregor, Executive Director of Adults & Health at Camden Council, is to take over as President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care (ADASS) during a critical period for the sector.
In her inaugural address at the Association’s annual Spring Seminar, she will set out her priorities for the year ahead, including representing members’ views to Government and Baroness Casey’s new independent commission on adult social care.
She will say: “I’ll work with the government and the new Commission with a clear focus on practical solutions rooted in the real world. I believe we’re at our most powerful when we bring ideas, not just problems.”
McGregor will also focus on raising awareness about the importance of care and support among the public and political leaders. To support this, she will launch the charity’s first ever public awareness campaign titled ‘Care Can’t Wait’ on the opening day of the Seminar, 28 April.
The campaign aims to tackle the low levels of public awareness of adult social care by explaining what social care is and the impact it can have through real-life stories of people drawing on different types of care. It will illustrate what high-quality care can enable people to do and what is at risk when support is delayed or denied.
It is hoped the engaging and inspiring stories will create a strong case for urgent improvement and investment in social care, at a time when the Commission will be making recommendations about a future course for the sector.
McGregor said: “I want to help us change the narrative and public understanding about adult social care and with that, build willingness among the public and politicians to invest in it. At its best, social care helps people live safely and well, it’s not a luxury or a last resort. It’s a lifeline that should be available to all of us, when we need it, but we know that isn’t always the case and too many people are missing out.”
McGregor who started her career in housing and homelessness, has worked in social care throughout her career across London councils. The work of the Camden Council social care team she leads was recently rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the first local authority in the country to receive the top rating under the Commission’s new assessment system introduced in 2023.
Directors will also be addressed by Sir Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister for Social Care, and Sir Julian Hartley, Chief Executive of the CQC, – amongst other speakers.