Martin Ross

Care at Home Director, Care South

Martin started his career in the sector as a volunteer, progressing through roles including care worker, registered manager, care business manager and director. He is passionate about people and our common values, and is experienced in delivering innovation through public sector partnerships, integrated working, and technology.

Martin was a finalist in the Laing Buisson and HSJ Partnerships awards and in the second term as a non-executive board member for the Homecare Association.

As the Care at Home Director for Care South, a not for profit charity, Martin is proud to work alongside colleagues and partners, providing wonderful homecare services across Dorset and Somerset.

Daisy Cooney

Head of Policy, Practice, and Innovation, Homecare Association

Daisy Cooney is Head of Policy, Practice, and Innovation at the Homecare Association. Her policy team works across key policy areas for the homecare sector in the UK including regulation, financial sustainability and commissioning, integrated care, innovation and workforce development. Daisy has a particular interest in palliative and end of life care.

Her career, spanning senior policy roles at NHS England and DHSC, Age UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, and The Royal British Legion, has provided her with a deep understanding of the issues facing the social care sector.  

She has advised on the policy development of social care and health innovation, digital transformation, workforce strategies and improving patient pathways. She has a particular interest in palliative and end of life care.

Daisy’s career to date has given her unique insights into the workings of government and how best to influence decision-makers. She is passionate about raising the profile of social care and investment in it for now and the future.

Daisy holds a BSc in Social Policy from the London School of Economics.

Anna Dabek

Partner, Anthony Collins Solicitors

Anna is a partner in the employment and pensions team. She supports a range of not-for-profit, charitable and commercial organisations providing complex and strategic advice to HR directors and senior executive teams. She has particular interest supporting health and social care sector.

Rose Thomas-Willis

Deputy Director - Fair Pay Agreements for Adult Social Care, Department of Health and Social Care

Rose is a Senior Civil Servant in the Department of Health and Social care, and is leading the department’s work on establishing Fair Pay Agreements in the care sector. Rose began her civil service career in DWP in 2012, moved to Cabinet office in 2013, and has been in the Department of Health and Social Care since 2015. Over the last ten years, Rose has worked on a range of health and care policy areas, including: community pharmacy, NHS cyber security and data policy, NHS productivity and Efficiency, Social Care operational resilience including COVID response, Social Care funding, dementia, safeguarding and the Better Care Fund.

Peter Davies

Regional Manager, GMB

Peter is a regional manager (senior organiser) for the third largest trade union in the UK, the GMB. They represent over half a million workers in the private, public and not for profit sectors. 

Peter led and helped to produce the GMB Ethical Home Care Commissioning Charter and lead for the North East, Yorkshire and Humber Region on care campaigns. 

By working with providers over the past four years Peter has seen that the way care is commissioned 'on the cheap' in the UK, under valuing the care as well as the carers themselves, is driven by Westminster choices and embedded through procurement in Council Town halls and, that’s where it must be changed.