This week on CTRL + Care, Michelle and Katie unpack a troubling cyberattack on a UK nursery that saw children’s personal data stolen and parents targeted directly, and what it says about the changing “rules” of cybercrime. They explore the surge in mobile payments and the risks of leaving cash behind, Labour’s ambitious plan for an online NHS hospital by 2027, and the government’s latest move towards a national digital ID. Plus, there’s a vital consultation on the future health and care workforce you won’t want to miss. And for Cyber Squirrels, it’s pigeons, reinforcement learning, and how one bird-brained military project helped shape modern AI.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Control Plus Care

02:07 Children's Data Hack

07:13 The Rise of Mobile Payments

13:24 NHS Online Hospital Services

19:17 Digital ID Scheme and Its Implications

23:39 Consultation on Workforce Planning

24:40 Cyber Squirrel Segment: Pigeons and AI

Links:

• Children's names, pictures and addresses stolen in nursery hack - BBC News
• Half of UK adults now pay on mobile - data shows - BBC News
• New online NHS hospital service by 2027, PM to promise - BBC News
• New Digital ID to be rolled out
• 10 Year Workforce Plan - GOV.UK
• Cyber Squirrels – Pigeon Reinforcement training

This week on CTRL + Care, Michelle & Katie dig into a new report on automation in health and care, from robotic process automation to AI, and what it could really mean for productivity, safety, andstaff buy-in. They explore Camden Council’s bold experiment with AI-enabled participatory democracy, Liverpool City Region’s work on digital inclusion, and Ireland’s long-term data modelling for nursing home capacity. And for Cyber Squirrels, it’s Star Trek made real… live translation sunglasses that sound a lot like the Babel Fish.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Control Plus Care

02:30 The Impact of Automation in Healthcare

11:30 Participatory Democracy in Health and Social Care

16:59 Tackling Digital Poverty in Liverpool

20:41 Insights from Nursing Homes Ireland Conference

26:50 Cyber Squirrels: Innovations in Language Translation Technology

Links from this episode:Operation Automation report (Re:State)http://bit.ly/4mxMcKoCamden Council – Participatory Democracy in Health & Carehttp://bit.ly/46I5EOF and http://bit.ly/46Ey7EW

• What is participatory democracy: http://bit.ly/4nHpDUC

• Nursing Homes Ireland Insight Report: http://bit.ly/42Q2JCi

Liverpool City Region – Digital Inclusionhttp://bit.ly/4nOkie4Ireland – Long-term Care Projectionshttp://bit.ly/4gMLKqACyber Squirrels - Live Translation Glasseshttp://bit.ly/3VCQ9T5

This week on CTRL + Care, Katie & Michelle dig into a new NIHR-led report evaluating home sensor systems across three councils and what it shows: sense of safety for users & carers, richer insight for monitoring changing needs, but also limits around infrastructure, internet access and where the economic benefit really lands. They also unpack what “digital social care records interoperability” could look like, and why this foundational work matters as much as the new tech everyone gets excited about. For Cyber Squirrels, we have... bacteria in cement and energy-generating flooring... you'll have to listen to find out!Timeline:

00:00 Introduction to Digital Care Updates

01:57 Cybersecurity in Local Government

04:13 Home Sensors in Social Care

11:25 AI and Economic Predictions

16:01 Social Care Interoperability Platform

20:53 Cyber Squirrels - Innovative Energy Solutions

Links:

MHCLG Accenture and KPMG to support its new Local Government Cyber Response service

Home sensors in social care: findings from a mixed methods, rapid evaluation

AI could boost UK economy by 10% in 5 years, says Microsoft boss - BBC News

DHSC - ASC: Interoperability and Architecture platform - Discovery

This week on CTRL + Care, Katie & Michelle unpack the launch of 43 new neighbourhood care models and what it will take for tech to really make them work, from AI-powered sensors spotting early signs of risk to community-led approaches tackling fuel poverty. They also look at a government pilot testing Microsoft Copilot and what it tells us about AI’s real impact on productivity, plus the first signs of CQC inspections scrutinising AI governance in care. And as councils like Coventry experiment with Palantir, the digital duo question how the sector can counter negative media narratives around AI. For Cyber Squirrels, they dive into the brand new AI Darwin Awards, celebrating the most *chefs kiss* bad AI fails.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates
02:24 Neighborhood Care Launch
09:27 UK Gov Co-Pilot Trial Findings
14:32 Cyber Squirrels: Lighthearted Tech Stories
16:01 CQC AI Report
20:56 Coventry Council to use Palantir AI in Social Work
25:11 Cyber Squirrels - Darwin Awards

Links:

The tech for neighbourhood care is here

London Borough of Sutton – AI-powered sensors

Warm Wales tackling fuel poverty

Neighbourhood health services roll-out

Government pilot of Microsoft Copilot

CQC inspection raises AI governance concerns

Coventry Council and Palantir in children’s services

AI Darwin Awards coverage – The Register

Official AI Darwin Awards site

This week on CTRL + Care, Katie & Michelle dive into the digital care stories shaping September. From the rising wave of cyber incidents hitting big names like Jaguar Land Rover and M&S, to the hidden risks of AI use in frontline services. Plus, Skills for Care is dedicating a whole month to showcasing how technology empowers care and we also look at the US court ruling on Google’s monopoly and what it means for the future of tech regulation.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
03:23 Huge cyber attacks recently
07:03 Skills for Care Digital Spotlight
11:06 AI adds new dimension to public sector security
17:38 Google Monopoly Ruling and Its Implications
23:21 Emergency Alert System Test
25:30 TSA Recruiting for new Chair
25:45 Cyber Squirrels: Edinburgh Fringe tech dance
28:17 Cyber Squirrel: AI robot led improv group

Links:

Skills for Care highlighting Tech Enabled Care in September

AI adds new dimension to public sector cyber security | UKAuthority

The Google Monopoly ruling

Emergency Alert System

Cyber Squirrel - Edinburgh Fringe Dance

Cyber Squirrel - Magician who uses robots

This week on CTRL + Care, Katie & Michelle unpack the big digital care stories you need to know. From Derby Council’s bold move to use AI in care assessments, to why future-proofing care homes starts with better design and digital infrastructure, plus a new NHS health data service that could transform research. And in Cyber Squirrels… the strange case of an astronaut selfie that never existed.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:44 Councils AI helps decide when elderly go into care
12:41 Design is key to meeting the needs of an ageing population
17:34 NHS Health Data Research Service: A New Era
21:02 5 AI lessons in social care from Dr Caroline Green of Oxford University
22:49 Cyber Squirrels: The AI Selfie Conundrum

Links:

Council’s AI helps decide when elderly go into care (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/24/council-ai-helps-decide-when-elderly-go-into-care/) Outrage as cash-strapped council uses 'pensioners as lab rats' with AI led care decision | UK | News | Express.co.uk

Design is key to meeting the needs of an ageing population
Design is key to meeting the needs of an ageing population')

Health Data Research Service – unlocking the potential of health and care data to transform lives
NHS England » Health Data Research Service – unlocking the potential of health and care data to transform lives

5 lessons on AI in care from Dr Caroline Green
https://www.carehomeprofessional.com/five-key-lessons-on-ai-in-social-care/

This week on CTRL + Care Michelle and Katie share a near-miss cyber attack at Digital Care Hub, explorepilots in health and care, and ask why innovation so often gets stuck at the pilot stage.... They dive into the ethics of data, the importance of digital basics plus a hilarious humanoid robot story to brighten your day.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:52 We almost had a cyber attack

07:35 Health Foundation - rollout of AI in health and care

14:33 Digital Wounds app in Cheshire and Wirral

19:17 Scottish Care - Ethical technology

24:26 Digital Inclusion Funding

26:37 Cyber Squirrel - Scottish accelerator invests in female led start-ups

27:54 Cyber Squirrel - first humanoid robot games

Links:

Nell Thornton from the health foundation: https://www.globalplayer.com/catchup/lbcnews/uk/episodes/BUqk555DFZ79vJk7qNfrvwmL8/ (2:26:30-2:31-30) / https://www.health.org.uk/press-office/press-releases/estimated-21-billion-required-over-next-5-years-to-digitise-nhs-and-adult-social-care-across-uk

Digital Wounds App
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FT pilots digital wound app – HTN Health Tech News

Donald MacAskill – Ethical Technology in care article
https://scottishcare.org/storyholding-and-handing-back-the-pen-a-reflection-on-care-autonomy-and-ethical-technology/

Donald MacAskill Podcast

Digital Inclusion Funding
https://find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/digital-inclusion-innovation-fund-2

Scottish accelerator invests in female led health start-ups
https://www.digitalhealth.net/2025/08/scottish-accelerator-invests-1m-in-female-led-healthtech-startups/

2025: World Humanoid Robot Games
https://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0818/c90000-20353835.html

This week, Michelle and Katie chat about the big AI stories making headlines, from the launch of GPT-5 to a worrying case of gender bias in healthcare. They cover a huge breast cancer screening data breach in the Netherlands, a robot that decided to start folding clothes all by itself, and some surprisingly human robot dramas including one that fell into a fountain and another that thinks it’s worthless.

Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction06:46 – AI gender bias in health10:54 – Hacker breach of breast cancer screening data15:01 – Figure AI (Robot AI hybrid)19:31 – Security robot has malfunction20:31 – AI who thinks it's worthless

Links & References:

• OpenAI launching GPT-5

• GPT makes changes after feedback

• AI gender bias in health

• Hacker breast cancer screening breach

• Security robot throws itself into fountain