CTRL + Care Podcast featuring guest cohost Vic Rayner, Chief Executive of the National Care Forum.
Episode 26, 30 January 2026
Ctrl+Care continues into 2026 with a guest-hosted episode that tackles some of the biggest questions facing digital social care right now, from cyber risk and AI safety to data, skills and the future shape of care itself.
With Katie away, Michelle is joined by Vic Rayner, Chief Executive of the National Care Forum, for a wide-ranging conversation that blends practical advice, big-picture thinking and a healthy dose of realism about where the sector is heading.
Watch the session, or read a write up below.
Cyber risk and why social care cannot look away
The episode opens with a timely warning on cyber security, following alerts about increased hacktivist activity targeting public services. Michelle and Vic reflect on why social care organisations are particularly exposed, holding sensitive data while often operating with lower digital maturity and fewer technical safeguards.
The discussion reinforces the importance of basic cyber hygiene, from strong passwords and multi-factor authentication to staying alert to national security guidance. It is a clear reminder that cyber security is no longer a technical issue sitting on the sidelines, but a core leadership responsibility for care providers.
AI chatbots, trust and the risk of getting it wrong
Unsurprisingly, AI features heavily in the episode, with a deep dive into concerns raised by ECRI about AI chatbots becoming a leading technology risk in health and care. Michelle and Vic explore why chatbots can feel so convincing, even when they are wrong, and how easily people can be misled by authoritative-sounding responses.
The conversation highlights the particular risks for social care, where safeguards are often lighter, digital confidence varies, and people drawing on care may be more vulnerable to misinformation. Rather than rejecting AI outright, the focus is on the need for clear organisational policies, staff training, human oversight and a shared understanding of when and how AI should be used safely.
Data as the missing piece in integration
Another major theme is data and interoperability, sparked by commentary from an Integrated Care Board leader describing social care data as the missing piece in truly integrated systems. Michelle and Vic reflect on the fragmented reality of social care data, the barriers to sharing information, and the lost potential when care stories are reduced to isolated data points.
They return to a familiar CTRL + Care theme: social care understands people in the round, but often lacks the tools, standards and skills to make that richness visible and usable across systems. Better data, they argue, is not about control or compliance, but about improving continuity, reducing duplication and supporting people to stay well at home.
Care technologists and a new future workforce
The latter part of the episode focuses on innovation and workforce, with Vic outlining NCF’s work on care technologists, inspired by developments in Scotland and now being piloted in England. The role is designed to bridge care, technology and lived experience, helping match the right tools to the right people in meaningful ways.
The discussion explores how these roles could attract new talent into social care, particularly younger people who may not previously have seen the sector as a place for technical or innovative careers. With testbed work underway in Liverpool, the episode offers a hopeful vision of hybrid care that blends human connection with technology, without losing what matters most.
Ending on a hopeful note
As always, the episode closes with a Cyber Squirrels story, this time featuring maternity training robots being used to support midwife education. It is a lighter but thoughtful reminder that technology, when used well, can improve learning, reduce risk and ultimately deliver better outcomes.
This episode of CTRL + Care offers a grounded, honest look at the opportunities and risks facing digital social care, and a clear call to action for leaders to skill up, stay curious and keep people firmly in the loop as change accelerates.
Ctrl+Care podcast is published every Friday on YouTube and Spotify.
