Thursday 20th February 2025
Following on from the resolution on adult social care at our AGM, we hosted a free online debate focused on the vital topic of Adult Social Care: the challenges of maintaining personal independence at home and in care.
The stimulating speakers were:
- Nadra Ahmed CBE, Co-Chair, National Care Association
- Jackie Taylor, NCW member and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing for Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
- Richard Adams OBE
Nadra Ahmed CBE, Executive Co-Chairman, National Care Association
Last chair of the Care Provider Alliance
Nadra has been Chairman of NCA since 2001. She has been involved in the field of social care for over 40 years and until 2005 was the Registered Manager of two private care homes for older people, having developed and run services since 1981 which included a homecare service.
Nadra has served on numerous government taskforces and continues to do so. Through Covid she became recognised as the respected voice of social care. Nadra has served as the Vice Chairman of Skills for Care for 11 years having been appointed at its inception: she was also a trustee of Parkinson’s UK and continues to support various charities as a trustee/patron or president, despite her tight schedule; these include the veterans charity RBLI and a small disabilities charity Spadeworks.
Nadra is the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Kent and a Kent Ambassador and served as the High Sheriff of Kent in 2023/24 which is a royal appointment.
In 2006 she was awarded the OBE for her services to Social Care. She is a regular contributor to journals and speaks regularly at national and international conferences throughout the world. Nadra is regularly called upon by the major media networks to represent the views of social care providers on some of the most challenging issues facing social care.
Nadra is driven by a desire to ensure the delivery of quality services to the most vulnerable members of our society. She works across a number of government departments which have an impact on the social care world giving evidence and expert advice to parliamentarians.
Nadra has been recognised by her peers receiving awards and has been listed as an influencer in numerous polls and magazines. Her continued passion for social care saw her being awarded the CBE for her services to Social Care.
Jackie Taylor DipSW BSc (Hons) SW
Jackie is a Wife, Mother, Sister, Aunty, and a Good Friend.
Jackie has extensive experience of working with different groups of people from various backgrounds presenting with a broad spectrum of needs.
Jackie’s professional life has been predominately focused around working in the Social Care Sector
Jackie has been able to apply her Skills and abilities to mentor and help support and guide people regardless of who they may be. She is keen to enhance her personal development and continued best practice by continuing to do so.
Utilizing her nursing and social care back ground combined with being a local politician has enabled Jackie to be a critical friend, and the ability to analyse from an unbiased perspective.
Jackie has sat on several committees which provide her with the opportunity to apply her knowledge, skills and abilities and in previous rolls as Deputy Mayor, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport, Chair of Economy Skills and Transport Scrutiny and currently Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Well Being in Sandwell, Jackie has seized every opportunity to pass on her knowledge to others.
Jackie is a strong unionist who as a Social Worker utilized her time to represent colleagues in the work place.
Currently, she manages her time as an Elected Member Cabinet Member, Chair of the Branch she lives in, Vice Chair of West Midlands Fabians, Co-opted Member of Fabian Women, Constituency Labour Party Executive, Committee Member for STEPs and a School Governor.
Finally, The National Council of Women upholds the same values as Jackie and with a team of phenomenal women she will learn from and continue to lobby, raise voices and empower women regardless of who they may be.
Richard Adams OBE
Richard has spent his working life in the founding and development of several successful charitable, community-owned, or co-operative enterprises that allow people to express constructive social and environmental values and concerns through their work, spending or saving. These include the fair trade organisations Traidcraft, Shared Interest and the Fairtrade Foundation and the ethical supermarket chain Out of this World. He has founded and developed companies that have focussed on the issues of health, social exclusion and ageing, international development, sustainable energy, and environmentally aware consumerism. He has held advisory roles on a wide range of businesses and policy bodies including major energy companies, EU institutions and NGOs.
Academically”¦
“¦he has degrees in sociology (University of Durham) and theology (Diploma ““ University of London) and an MBA (University of Newcastle). He was awarded honorary Doctorates of Civil Law by Newcastle University in 2005 and Durham University in 2007 and is a Visiting Fellow at St John’s College, Durham University and Visiting Professor at Northumbria University.