Speakers

Anna is also the Chief Executive for the Dorset Care Association working alongside the Dorset Council's Adult Social Care Commissioning and management teams. Anna also represents the South West for the Care Association Alliance and is a Board Member for their national group. Anna has been successful in securing significant sponsorship for the DCA with suppliers keen to support providers with low fees, cost saving measures and collaborative networking. Dorset Council fully fund the DCA as they recognise the importance of supporting their care providers. Anna is also the Director of Anna Knight Associates Ltd working with social care providers on a consultancy basis. Anna has worked in elderly care, mental health, learning disabilities, nursing, forensics, housing and specialist commissioning. Anna works with a variety of care providers across the country delivering support with HR consultations, mentoring, income streams, budgets, profit and void management, recruitment and retention including fee negotiations with commissioners, ICS and Local Authority brokerage teams. Anna is responsible for the management and development of a number of joint projects (ICS/LA) which includes the implementation, development and management of an independent Trusted Assessor service for care providers. To date, over 3000 patient assessments have taken place without a single failed discharge. The team continues to grow, hospital sites increase and has just been recognised as an ICS essential service. The DCA also has funding to support International Recruitment and associated issues for Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole providers. There have been significant issues with displaced workers, revoked licences and sponsorship management which the DCA support and manage,. Anna also focuses on supporting new care provider start up's, taking care companies to sales ready and manages International Recruitment projects. Recently, Anna has taken two providers with poor CQC ratings to Good and outstanding and has supported CQC legal challenges and Action Plans. Anna has significant networks and is a huge advocate for community and partnership working. Anna has a sibling with a learning disability, type 1 diabetes and early on set dementia. She has been responsible for overseeing all his healthcare and support needs for over 21 years. This gives her significant insight into the needs of families and providers trying to plan, support and manage care needs for vulnerable adults. Anna is engaged as the specialist sector advisor for Care Safety Innovations working on the new Virtual Care Companion (VCC), an innovative, connected, digital assistant for domiciliary care providers. Anna was the moderator for the VCC launch in London in December 2024 and is a huge advocate for technology that enables more 1:1 time with the people we support.