Carer Innovation Collective: ”Better support for carers, together”
The Carer Innovation Collective brings together people across the NHS, local authorities, and carer organisations who are passionate about improving support for unpaid Carers. It’s a space to share ideas, explore new approaches, and learn what’s working, from digital tools and AI to frontline support and engagement. Expect open conversations, shared challenges, and practical insights you can take back and apply. Whether you’re building new services or strengthening existing ones, this is a place to connect, learn, and make a real difference.
We’ve definitely seen a shift towards prevention language, but when it comes to contracts it’s still quite output-heavy.
Feels like there’s a gap between strategy and procurement.
From my experience, it’s increasingly about integration — how well your service fits into the wider system. Commissioners seem to want reassurance that you’re not duplicating work and that you’re adding real value alongside existing provision.
There’s also more focus on responsiveness — how quickly you can adapt to changing needs and support carers in a flexible, personalised way.
Would love to compare notes with others working on bids at the moment.
From what I’m seeing, there’s a strong focus on outcomes and impact — not just what you’ll deliver, but the difference it will make and how you’ll evidence it.
There’s also a big emphasis on reaching the “right” people, especially hidden or underserved carers, and showing how you’ll reduce barriers to access.
Partnership working keeps coming up too — commissioners want to see how you fit into the wider system and avoid duplication.
And alongside all of that, value for money is still front and centre.
Would be great to hear what others are seeing come through in recent tenders.
