This week on CTRL + Care we’re diving into two of our favourite things: robots and data. We start with a deep dive into the BBC’s recent question, “Would you trust a robot to care for you in old age?” which sends us on a tour of Japanese care robots, cultural barriers, cute designs, and why humanoid robots probably aren’t the future. Expect strong opinions about gendered machines, practical concerns for the care workforce and the eternal hope that one day a robot might finally put away the washing.In the second half of the episode, we’re joined by Kate Gore from Skills for Care to explore the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC WDS). Kate breaks down what the dataset actually is, how it works and why so many providers rely on it to track training, monitor recruitment, benchmark against local services and unlock funding. We unpack the national picture, talk about workforce shortages and highlight how ASC WDS data shapes government policy, sector strategy and day to day decision making in care.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:07 Would you let a robot care for you in old age?04:16 Background - Care Robots in Japan14:41 Kate Gore - Skills for Care interview on the ASC-WDS17:10 Funding Opportunities for Care Providers20:08 The Importance of Data in Social Care23:15 Integrating Digital Skills in Social Care24:06 How to Access the Adult Social Care Workforce Dataset25:06 Closing Thoughts and Future of Social CareLinks:Would you really trust a robot to care for you in old age? - BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c...Skills for Care - Adult Workforce Data Sethttps://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Adul...Access funding for training - Such as the Learning & Development Support Scheme. https://www.gov.uk/government/publica...Billboard 100 AI Musichttps://www.billboard.com/lists/ai-ar...

In this week’s CTRL + Care, Michelle and Katie are back with another round-up of digital and social care news and a few surprises along the way.

Michelle shares jaw-dropping findings from new NHS research on clinical safety standards for health tech, sparking a conversation about what social care can learn as digital systems evolve. The duo also dig into the state of Integrated Care Systems, short-term funding in social care tech, and the risks of “pilotitis.”

But it’s not all serious talk Katie brings a heartwarming story about AI preventing falls, and the pair end on a lighter note with silver influencers, Gamer Granny, and the Collins Dictionary’s Word of the Year: “vibe coding.”

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to CTRL + Care

01:08 Stress Awareness Week

02:37 Digital Health Technologies and NHS Standards

08:41 Integrated Care Systems: Current State and Challenges

12:51 Funding Challenges in Social Care Technology

17:55 Proactive Care: AI in Preventing Falls

19:41 Call to action - tech survey in Bath & Somerset

21:15 Cyber Squirrels: Lighthearted News Stories

Links

• Stress Awareness Week
• Digital Health Technology Compliance With Clinical Safety Standards In the National Health Service in England
• The Integrated Care Systems 24/25
• Half of ICS Leaders Say Lack of Social Care Support is Blocking
• Is It Time to Rethink Funding for Social Care Technology
• Norfolk County Council uses AI to flag people at risk of falling
• Council seeks residents’ views on how technology can improve adult social care services

Cyber Squirrels

• The Silver Influencers Taking TikTok and Instagram by Storm
• Collins’ Word of the Year 2025: AI meets authenticity as society shifts - Collins Dictionary Language Blog

This week on CTRL + Care, Michelle and Katie break down the CQC’s latest State of Care report, what it says about AI, the NHS App, and the risk of social care being left behind. They also explore how people are turning to AI chatbots for medical advice, revealing both the promise and pitfalls of digital dependence.

To close Cyber Awareness Month, they’re joined by Kate Doodson from the Brandon Trust, who shares how her team built a culture of cyber resilience and reimagined care in the digital age. Plus, in Cyber Squirrels, it’s solar-powered fishing nets saving turtles and proving that simple tech can have a big impact.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Cyber Awareness Month and Guest Introduction

03:01 Developing a Cyber Resilience Plan

05:36 Shifting Paradigms: From Cybersecurity to Cyber Resilience

08:51 Learning from the Process: Insights and Recommendations

11:49 Practical Steps for Organizations to Enhance Cyber Resilience

14:46 Future Plans: Digital Strategy and Reimagining Care

19:00 The Future of Tech Without Men

19:45 The Dark Side of AI and Relationships

20:43 Cultural Reflections Through Music

22:44 Digital Care Insights and AI in Healthcare

32:07 AI's Role in Healthcare: Promise and Peril

36:52 Innovative Solutions for Environmental Challenges

Links

CQC State of Care Report

• The state of health care and adult social care in England 2024/25 - Care Quality Commission

• https://www.digitalcarehub.co.uk/data-and-digital-integration-still-a-challenge-says-cqc-state-of-care-report/

DeepSeek used for medical advice

• ‘DeepSeek is humane. Doctors are more like machines’: my mother’s worrying reliance on AI for health advice | Health | The Guardian

Cyber Squirrels – Tech Saves Turtles

• Solar fishing nets brighten turtles' futures, cutting entanglement by 63%!

Kate Doodson Resources

• NCSC Early Warning - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Cyber Assessment Framework - NCSC.GOV.UK

• NCSC Annual Review 2025 - NCSC.GOV.UK