In Partnership with Five on a Bike
Published on 16 February 2026
At the Care Innovation Summit 2025, a leading care home summit and national care conference, the Care Innovators Studio welcomed James Bullion, former Chief Inspector for Adult Social Care and Integrated Care at the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Filmed in partnership with Five on a Bike, the conversation explored what care innovation looks like in practice and how the care quality commission views innovation across the sector. One theme stood out: innovation in social care does not always mean complex or expensive care technology. Often, it means doing the fundamentals well and applying them consistently and uniquely depending on the setting and required outcome. In this article we will explore the key findings of this interview and their impact on the social care sector.
Innovation Beyond Technology
James begins the discussion by stating that across adult social care, innovation tends to fall into two broad areas: models of working and technology. Inspections frequently uncover examples where providers have changed the way teams operate or how support is organised, producing a significant improvement in people’s quality of life.
Innovation can begin with adjusting how care is coordinated, improving communication within teams or rethinking how people are involved in planning their support can deliver meaningful change. Innovative developments may not require major financial investment, yet they can transform someone’s daily experience.
The conclusion as found that innovation does not need to involve a dramatic technological leap. In social care, consistently delivering high-quality, person-centred support can itself be innovative. Reliability and attention to detail often make the greatest difference.
How the Care Quality Commission Approaches Innovation
James discussed how the care quality commission has embedded innovation into its regulatory framework. A dedicated quality statement references this context of innovation directly, making clear that providers should consider how they improve practice and outcomes and focus on impact. The care quality commission looks for approaches that demonstrably improve people’s lives. Inspectors consider whether new methods enhance wellbeing, increase independence or create fairer and more equitable outcomes.
Learning gathered during inspections feeds into individual service reports and national publications as well as thematic publications, including work on dementia care, to highlight practical examples of what good looks like and how providers are delivering it.
Importantly, there is no single prescribed model. Innovation in one setting may look different in another. The challenge for care leaders is to ensure that promising ideas can be adapted and applied across different populations, including people with learning disabilities or autism.
Scaling Ideas Across the Sector
The interview went on to discuss how scaling innovation presents both opportunity and complexity and an approach that works well in one service may require adjustment elsewhere. The principle may remain strong, but local context matters immensely.
James explains that walking through events such as the Care Innovation Summit highlights the breadth of care technology now available. From connected appliances to advanced mobility equipment and environmental controls, the sector is seeing rapid development. Much of this innovation is driven by demand rather than central commissioning, showing a growing market and need for innovation more than ever. The social care market, supported by significant public and private funding, creates space for suppliers and providers to develop new solutions.
Encouraging adoption requires collaboration as providers, commissioners, regulators and suppliers must share learning and remain focused on outcomes. In this context, how the care quality commission plays a role in identifying effective practice and supporting the wider future of care.
The Long-Term Funding Question
One of the most pressing issues discussed was funding. In many local authorities, adult social care represents the largest share of revenue expenditure. When children’s services are included, this can account for the vast majority of a council’s budget.
Despite this, capital investment in adult social care infrastructure remains limited. Revenue funding covers ongoing support, but long-term capital investment to reshape services is often minimal, creating tension within social care policy.
Local authorities plan infrastructure such as roads and housing over decades. Social care, which often supports individuals for much of their lives, warrants similar long-term thinking. Taking a 50-year view of care provision would alter how services are commissioned and designed, creating not only a sustainable future for a business, but also maximising what can be delivered in care and quality of life to the individual. This long-term view would encourage investment in housing, equipment and digital systems that deliver value over time.
Not every innovation reduces costs, some simply improve the quality-of-service delivery and both outcomes matter. Investing capital strategically could reduce future pressures or enhance people’s experiences in ways that short-term budgeting cannot achieve.
Designing for the Future
The discussion went on to explore how long-term thinking also affects the physical design of care environments as many older care homes were built before the widespread use of modern mobility equipment and advanced assistive technology. If designed today, corridors might be wider and digital infrastructure embedded from the outset.
Smaller and medium-sized providers often demonstrate this forward planning as many invest heavily in new developments and undertake major refurbishments every 15 years or so. These decisions reflect a commitment to sustainability and quality improvement across the sector, furthering how prominent the need for care innovation has become.
In this sense, innovation can be as much about mindset as machinery. Thinking differently about lifetime support, infrastructure and investment may represent the most significant care innovation of all.
A Practical Definition of Innovation
The discussion at the Care Innovation Summit reinforced a grounded definition of innovation. It is not solely about high-profile technology or dramatic transformation; it is about measurable impact on people’s lives.
Care leaders attending the care conference heard a consistent message from speakers: focus on outcomes, fairness and sustainability. Whether through digital systems in home care, improved workforce models or long-term capital planning, innovation must serve the individual.
As social care continues to evolve, the greatest advances may come not from complexity, but from clarity. Doing the simple things well, planning for long term success and keeping people at the centre of decision-making will shape the future of care.
Watch the full conversation from the Care Innovators Studio here.
To hear from regulators on emerging policies in 2026, gain clarity and learn how to future-proof your care business, book your ticket to Care Innovation Summit 2026 today.
