Jane Montrose, Managing Director of Apple House care group, and Romaine Lawson, Director of Operations, were thrilled to be invited to speak at a Westminster Briefing in London last week.  The invitation followed the CQC ‘Outstanding’ rating of one of the group’s homes and focused on how leading services prepare for CQC inspections and met the updated CQC Assessment Framework.

In attendance were leaders of charitable trusts and housing associations, as well as heads of councils from around the country and other care provider heads, totalling twenty attendees. The discussions formed the first step in public policy debate which informs Westminster and Whitehall and also goes into the ‘House’ magazine which is distributed to Members in the Houses of Parliament.

A twenty-minute window was allotted to Jane and Romaine but this ran on to an hour as questions streamed in for them following their speech, culminating in the chair declaring, ‘One more question only!’

Romaine said after, “I am absolutely buzzing from this incredible experience, what a fascinating day it has been!”  Jane agreed, adding, “We hope to be invited by Westminster Briefing to speak again in the future.”