Carolanne Mainland

Board Member for Scotland, Homecare Association

Carolanne has lived and worked in the Highlands of Scotland for four decades. Her career profile includes working in Health, Social Care, Social Care Education and Social Care Representation. She considers that she has been privileged to work within varying aspects of Care, as the diversity has given her rounded knowledge and experience of Commissioning, Quality Improvement and Delivery of Care. Carolanne is currently the Homecare association Board Member for Scotland.

Deborah Sturdy CBE

Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, DHSC

Professor Deborah Sturdy (Deb) was appointed the first Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care (CN ASC) in 2021. In this role, she provides expert guidance to ministers and policy colleagues, ensuring informed decision-making based on practical experience.

With over 40 years in nursing, Deb has held various roles in management, research, policy, and practice across social care and the NHS. She has authored numerous publications and presented at national and international conferences.

Deb holds four Visiting Chairs in Nursing at Manchester Metropolitan University, Buckinghamshire New University, Coventry University, and the University of Salford.

Deb was awarded a CBE in the 2022 Honours list and an OBE in 2017. She is a Fellow of both the Queen's Nursing Institute and the Royal College of Nursing and received the British Geriatrics Society's President’s Medal for her contribution to older people's nursing—the first nurse to receive this honour. In July 2023, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Buckinghamshire New University for her contributions to nursing.

Melanie Weatherley MBE

CEO, Walnut Care

Melanie co-founded Walnut Care in 2002, now one of the largest domiciliary care providers in Lincolnshire, employing over 200 care professionals and providing 600,000 care visits annually.

A passionate advocate for the provision of home and community care, Melanie has been the Chair of Lincolnshire Care Association (LinCA) since 2016. LinCA represents a range of care providers, working with them to improve standards of care.

Melanie is also Co-Chair of the Care Association Alliance – a national body bringing together representatives of care associations to engage with the wider health and care system.

In 2020, Melanie received an MBE for her services to social care, honoured for helping set up the Care Home Trusted Assessor Scheme. In a national first, Melanie also led a scheme to train care workers to become nurse associates.

Stella Shaw

Director & Registered Manager, StellarCare NW Ltd

A registered nurse since 2000, Stella specialised in cardiology before transitioning into education. As a senior lecturer, she pioneered simulated technology in nursing training. In 2018, she founded StellarCare NW, a nurse-led domiciliary care agency, now delivering over 1,500 care hours weekly. Passionate about enhancing home care, she champions a nurse-led approach, blending roles to improve quality and reduce hospital admissions. Stella secured a Sponsorship Licence to address recruitment challenges and serves on several industry boards, including Championing Social Care and Partners in Care.

Matthew Fisher

Head of Integrated Community Partnerships, Lincolnshire Community Healthcare NHS Trust

Matthew’s role is to develop integrated neighbourhood working in the East of Lincolnshire. He leads East Lindsey Neighbourhood team, working alongside all areas of the health, care and support and community voluntary system to join up care to better meet the needs of the local population.

Matthew is a social worker and prior to this role was Principal Social Worker for Lincolnshire County Council. In addition to his local role he has a countywide focus on integrated working to support people with additional complex vulnerabilities.

 He has an interest in how we scale up neighbourhood working to deliver true neighbourhood health as our default approach to care.