On Wednesday 13th May 2026, the Social Care Nursing Advisory Council (SCNAC) co-chairs for London had the privilege of attending the London Nursing Associate 2026 Conference at the University of East London campus.

The Social Care Nursing Advisory Councils operate across England, bringing together nurses working within adult social care to ensure the sector has a strong professional voice at both regional and national level. As the London SCNAC co-chairs, Joanna and I are passionate about championing adult social care nursing, supporting professional development, influencing workforce priorities, and ensuring that the expertise of social care nurses is recognized across the wider health and care system.

We are also actively looking for more nurses working within adult social care across London to join the council and help shape the future of nursing within our sector. https://theoutstandingsociety.co.uk/scnac/

We were delighted to receive the invitation from Michele Matandabari, whose role within NHS England (London) focuses on supporting workforce transformation and development across London. Michele has been a passionate advocate for ensuring that adult social care is represented within the wider healthcare workforce agenda. Together, we have worked hard to ensure that the voice of adult social care nurses was not only represented in the room but also showcased through presentations at the event.

I was blown away to learn that there are now 3,000 nursing associates across London, all focused on providing the best possible care to the people they support. Hearing about the wide range of clinical areas these nurses work in highlighted just how diverse their roles are. However, one message came across loud and clear: if you embed a nursing associate within your workforce, you will not regret it.

The conference celebrated the impact nursing associates are having across health and social care and demonstrated how these roles continue to strengthen compassionate, person-centered care within services across London.

I was especially delighted to see Leleka Henry presenting at the conference alongside Omoyi Mapumba. Together, they gave the audience a valuable perspective on the role of nursing associates within adult social care settings.

Leleka eloquently shared how she entered the care profession, her passion for supporting older people, and how the nursing associate programme has allowed her to grow professionally while remaining close to direct care doing what she truly loves.

Omoyi spoke about how Priscilla Wakefield House supports nursing associates throughout their journey, and the positive impact they bring both to the people living in the home and to the wider workforce Together, they were inspiring and a fantastic example of what can be achieved when organisations invest in developing their workforce and supporting career progression within adult social care.

Well done to you both!

Louise Keane Co-Chair London SCNAC