Caroline Day – NHS England

Caroline joined the NHS England Digitising Social Care Programme in 2021 after 10 years as a director for a national primary and urgent care provider. As a national programme manager supporting 15 Integrated Care Systems across the country, Caroline works in partnership with colleagues in the Department of Health and Social Care to explore and promote the benefits of digital solutions for care providers. Caroline is an advocate of using technology to support people to live independently in their own homes.  

Title of talk: Digitising Social Care: The future vision 

Shan Kilby – Data Inspired Living

Shan has worked in the domestic abuse sector for voluntary community sector, criminal justice, and local authorities for over 25 years to develop workable, policies and procedures, aligned with corporate priorities and multi-agency partnerships. As a Safeguarding Adults Development Manager, she supported implementation of Making Safeguarding Personal, and changes required following the Supreme Court judgement on Deprivation of Liberty. Shan joined Hertfordshire County Council in 2018 working in front-line social care teams and is now the Senior AT Practitioner, managing the operational team’s AT preventative service, Data Inspired Living.  

Title of talk: Data Inspired Living: Personalised care, powered by technology 

Ed Farthing – Howden  

As a Senior Account Executive for Howden’s Health and Care Corporate Risks Division, Ed has over 10 years’ experience providing Insurance and Risk Management solutions specifically for the Social Care sector.  

Howden’s Health and Care Division manages over 40,000 clients with premium spend in excess of £200m per annum and has been operating in the Social Care space for over 20 years.  

Title of talk: Are you Prepared for a Cyber Incident? Exploring real life incidents, responses and means of protection. 

Paul Davis – Virtual IT  

Paul Davis is a Cyber Security and Digital Transformation Specialist with over three decades expertise in the technology sector. His experience spans across multiple sectors including public sector, healthcare, B2B enterprises, and not-for-profit organisations. As a thought leader in cyber security and with a deep understanding of evolving cyber threats and regulatory requirements, Paul provides strategic guidance to organisations, helping them navigate complex security challenges while ensuring compliance with industry standards. His proactive, security-first approach has established him as a trusted advisor across multiple sectors, where he focuses on developing robust cyber security strategies that protect sensitive data, maintain operational resilience, and safeguard organisational reputation. 

Paul’s distinctive ability to demystify complex security concepts and translate them into clear, actionable strategies has made him a key figure in supporting organisations’ digital transformation journeys, particularly in adapting to new regulatory frameworks and emerging cyber threats. 

Title of talk: DPST to CSAF: Are You Prepared for the Security Shake-up? 

Rhianna St John – Better Security, Better Care, Digital Care Hub 

Rhianna St John is the Programme and Communications Officer for the Digital Care Hub’s Better Security, Better Care Programme, providing support to providers as the first point of contact via the helpline. She researches, answers queries, troubleshoots issues, and guides providers on available resources to complete the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT). Rhianna also engages with key stakeholders through various communication channels, collaborating with partners and grantees as well as creating engaging content to support programme delivery and manages communication through social media platforms.

Title of talk: ‘AI in social care: safe and secure use’

Prof Farshid Amirabdollahian – University of Hertfordshire 

Professor Farshid Amirabdollahian is a professor of Human-Robot interaction within the School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science, and is the Principal Investigator at the University’s ‘Robot House’ facility. He also teaches Robotics and AI to undergraduate students.​ 

Farshid looks at how robots can adapt to human interaction – an adaptive robot can have many applications, from supporting patients in their recovery from a brain injury to robots ‘learning’ how to effectively pick fruit and vegetables, which helps farmers make huge efficiency savings. ​ 

Farshid’s work is also at the intersection of the physical and virtual worlds, designing ‘digital twins’ to provide a testbed for technological interventions or changes. Because a digital twin virtually represents a real-world patient or place, authorities can more safely test effectiveness and impact; for example, when implementing a new traffic management system in a town. 

He also has a keen interest in neuroscience and is engaged in research to identify the signs of mental and physical fatigue in the brain and muscles, to ensure treatment plans are given at the right time to improve patient outcomes. 

Title of talk: ‘Application of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in a Virtual Ward for Heart Failure”, 

Gosia Kwiatkowska, BSc, MA, FHEA 

Gosia Kwiatkowska, BSc, MA, FHEA is an Associate Professor, Researcher, and Director of the Rix Inclusive Research Institute (RIX) at the University of East London. She leads innovative research and software initiatives that harness technology to promote inclusion, self-advocacy, and equal opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. A passionate advocate for user-centred universal design, Gosia collaborates across disciplines to advance personalised, person-centred services. Currently pursuing a Professional Doctorate in Social Work, her research explores what constitutes a ‘good life’ for individuals with profound and multiple learning disabilities in residential settings.

About RIX
The Rix Inclusive Research Institute (RIX) pioneers research and technology that empower individuals with disabilities through inclusive digital tools. By integrating multimedia advocacy and co-production, RIX drives systemic change in education, social care, and healthcare, ensuring accessibility and participation for all.

Title of talk: The use of technology for Digital Advocacy for people with disabilities and differences.

Danny Brown, Co-Founder, Simon Care Management

Danny Brown is the co-founder and CEO of Simon, a mobile application to support people with dementia in maintaining their autonomy. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Danny spent the past 13 years working on community impact programmes across the globe, both as an on-the-ground organizer and programme manager/evaluator. He specializes in working with a variety of stakeholders to mobilize resources and activities for communities on the margins. Galvanized by personal experience supporting his mother-in-law, Danny saw an opportunity to help other people by building an accessible and innovative technology to increase autonomy and supplement some of the executive function lost to pathology, and thus Simon was born. Danny holds a BA in Cognitive Science from Tulane University in New Orleans, and an MBA from the University of Oxford. He is a resident of north London.

Title of talk: Autonomy through Confidence: Non-invasive and automated means to support carers and people with dementia in reducing stress and maintaining independence. 

Mark Tattum-Smith, Digital Practice Lead at Suffolk County Council

 My name is Mark Tattum-Smith and I am a Digital Practice Lead at Suffolk County Council.

The Reverie app is a joint collaboration between Spark Group Company and Suffolk County Council and builds on over 10 years of clinical research into the efficacy of VR for people with dementia. The app links a Meta Quest 3/3S VR headset to a Laptop to enable supported Virtual Reality experiences for people with dementia. The carer is able to have complete control over the VR Voyager’s 360 experience and can choose from a wide range of experiences including Southwold beach, a Tea Dance in Snape Maltings or a trip to Colchester Zoo.

Title of talk: Introducing Reverie: Virtual Reality as an accessible therapeutic technology for people with dementia.

Andrew Spiers, Sales Director at Social-Ability

Andrew is dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals with cognitive challenges. With a background in the NHS and personal experience supporting loved ones with dementia, he has witnessed firsthand the effects of deconditioning and boredom in healthcare settings. Determined to make a meaningful difference, he founded Social-Ability in 2020, combining his expertise in healthcare and the entertainment industry with a team of like-minded partners to create the innovative Happiness Programme.

Now reaching over 1,200 care venues and long-term care facilities across the UK, Ireland, Canada, France, and the USA, Andrew is passionate about tackling isolation and enriching the lives of society’s most vulnerable. Inspired by his personal experiences, he channels his efforts into improving quality of life for those with limited capacity while combating loneliness on a global scale.

Join us as Andrew shares powerful insights, case studies, and real-world feedback on how technology can serve as both a therapeutic intervention and a preventative tool for individuals receiving care for cognitive challenges. This is a journey of compassion, innovation, and unwavering dedication to creating a brighter, more connected world for all.

Title of talk: Technology: Prevention & Therapeutic intervention