Lee & Priestley LLP, the Leeds based law firm has sponsored and hosted the second annual Yorkshire Care Providers Conference.

A strong turnout of business leaders and care home owners gathered to hear senior businessmen and women speak on a range of topics currently affecting the sector.

The prestigious event drew top level speakers from a variety of industry sectors, each delivering an insightful perspective on the care industry, with delegates listening to presentations on subjects including public relations and crisis handling, construction, training and quality management and employment issues.

In opening the conference Jonathan Oxley, Lee & Priestley managing partner, acknowledged that his own business had developed a strong track record in a number of specialist areas, one being the care home sector, in which the firm has a number of very interesting clients. As Jonathan explained, “the main aim of the conference was to provide both existing clients and others from across the sector with high quality information on a range of issues, from those whose own business commands respect in their particular sectors”.

At the conference members of Lee & Priestley’s specialist Employment Team presented on the issue of fair dismissal and how to avoid such situations becoming unfair.

In a dynamic and thought provoking keynote speech Philip Scott, CEO of one of the most successful and innovative companies in the sector, The Priory Group, talked of the difficulties now faced by those seeking to expand their businesses through acquisition given the current turmoil in financial markets, but went on to point out how such ambitions might still be realised.

Graham Robb, partner in leading public relations firm Recognition Marketing & PR LLP spoke about the ways in which specialist public relations skills are brought to bear in dealing with the sensitive and often complex issues that arise when handling a crisis.

Mitchell Smith, regional leader, Rok plc talked on how best to work with builders to maintain, improve and develop property assets and of the benefits this brings to the value of businesses in the care home sector. Rok plc, the ‘Nation’s Local Builder’, operates from a network of offices in major towns across the UK and specialises in relationship based service delivery that provides building and maintenance services that are tailored to local and individual needs.

Paul Musgrave, managing director (specialist services) with the Executive Care Group talked of how to improve customer care, which he described as vital as the market became more and more competitive. Executive Care Group is responsible for owning and operating more than 20 high quality care homes across the UK, covering more than 1,200 beds.

As Jonathan Oxley explained, "the care sector is now a massive industry and one which has increasing relevance for most of us. This conference has brought together some very senior industry figures who have talked on many of the key commercial issues now faced by owners and managers and we are really very pleased at the high numbers of busy people who have given up their time to attend".

Anyone wanting to learn more about any of the topics covered during the conference and in particular issues related to employment law, please contact Tim Arnott at Lee & Priestley on 0845 129 2335 or email tim.arnott@leepriestley.com

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