Humanity in Action: Reflections from Our 10th Care Opinion Conference

Last week, we welcomed many of you to our Spring Conference - and what an afternoon it turned out to be! Hard as it is to believe, this was our 10th Care Opinion conference! Your enthusiasm for all things Care Opinion is what keeps us going year after year.

Our theme this time was Humanity in Action: Stories that Shape Better Care, and throughout the day that’s exactly what came through: people, stories, connection, and the real impact Care Opinion is having on staff morale and wellbeing.

Each session brought its own unique perspective - celebrating the difference Care Opinion continues to make and looking ahead to the future of stories and online feedback. It was also inspiring to hear from CO Canada, where the team is helping shape an exciting future for storytelling in care across the Atlantic.

I’m delighted to share the day’s recordings below for anyone who couldn’t join us, or for those who’d like to watch back and reflect on another fantastic conference.

🔄 Session 1: Listening That Leads to Change

Our first session, led by our very own CEO Fraser Gilmore, explored how Care Opinion stories help organisations understand themselves more deeply.

The session opened with a look at the scale of listening happening across Care Opinion, with over 35,000 people sharing their experiences of health and care last year and nearly 37,000 public responses from services. These stories - mostly positive, some critical - spark thousands of open conversations between the public and care providers. The introduction highlighted how Care Opinion isn’t just a feedback platform but a tool that helps organisations listen more deeply, learn together and act on what they hear, supported by features like tagging, reporting, blogging and dedicated human support.

We then heard how teams across the UK use these stories to reflect, celebrate good practice and identify areas for improvement. 

When organisations engage with stories […], listening becomes more than a process - it becomes part of the culture.” Fraser Gilmore, CEO, Care Opinion

With that context set, the session moved on to two speakers offering very different perspectives on listening that leads to change: Tyler Harvey, a PhD researcher exploring feedback and complaints in Scotland, and Shaun Maher, a senior advisor for the Scottish Government with extensive experience of using Care Opinion across Scottish services. 

Tyler, who’s currently doing his PhD on complaints and feedback in Scotland and has been spending time with the Care Opinion team, used his session to share what he’s been learning from his fieldwork. He talked about arriving with a big interest in the tech behind the platform, only to realise that the real heart of the work lies in the relationships, routines and quick judgement calls that go into moderating stories. After developing what he jokingly calls a “moderation brain” and digging into how feedback and complaints overlap in practice, he’s now moving on to speak with authors and NHS staff to build a fuller picture of how stories move through the system.

“When I first came in, I was focused on the technology. But the more time I spent here, the more I saw that it’s really the human connections that matter.”  Tyler Harvey, PHD Student, School of Social Political Science, The University of Edinburgh

Shaun followed with a thoughtful and engaging session, opening with why Care Opinion remains one of his favourite things to talk about. He reflected on how meaningful listening - the kind that leads to real change - depends on leaning into our shared humanity, especially at a time when AI and other technologies are rapidly reshaping how we connect. Shaun highlighted Care Opinion’s unique ability to support genuine listening at every level of the system, from individual care interactions to national policy.

He wrapped up with three simple questions we can use to judge whether any tool or innovation is helping us:

1. Does it deepen our attention?
2. Does it strengthen our relationships?
3. Does it illuminate our reality?

For him, Care Opinion does all three!

“Care Opinion helps us put on our actual reality goggles - not virtual reality - and connect with the reality of people’s experiences.” Shaun Maher, Strategic Advisor for Person‑Centred Care and Improvement at the Scottish Government.

Session Resources:

CO Spring Conference - Session 1 Presentation - Fraser Gilmore.pdf

CO Spring Conference - Session 1 Presentation - Tyler Harvey.pdf

CO Spring Conference 2026 - Session 1 Presentation - Shaun Maher.pdf

🎥 Watch the recording of the session below 👇

🔍Session 2: Exploring the Evidence Base

Next up was our 27th research chat, with our Director of Research & Development, James Munro, in conversation with Miles Sibley from The Patient Experience Library.

Together, they discussed what the growing research base is telling us about online patient feedback. With around 50 studies now linked to Care Opinion, they explored how stories can highlight patterns across services, support improvement work, and offer real‑time insight into quality and safety. They also touched on the impact of positive feedback, with research showing that the 70–80% of Care Opinion stories that are positive can make a real difference to staff morale, wellbeing and team relationships.

James and Miles finished up by highlighting where the gaps remain and what they’d love to see researchers focus on next. This session is not to be missed!

Session Resources:

🔗 Find a list of the research papers linked to Care Opinion here

🎥 Watch the recording of the session below 👇

🪞Session 3: A Moment to Reflect - How Care Opinion Stories Impact Staff Morale & Wellbeing

One of the most powerful moments of the afternoon came during our subscriber support session, where frontline staff spoke openly about how reading Care Opinion stories has shaped their wellbeing and morale. Their reflections were honest, moving, and a powerful reminder to us at CO of why our work matters so much. For every story we publish, every response we celebrate, and every bit of training we deliver, this is a big part of the “why”. We’ve always known Care Opinion has impact, but hearing staff describe just how much was incredibly humbling - and all the more special because everyone who took part did so voluntarily.

“To know my input has made such a difference makes my job all the more worthwhile - words cannot express how that makes me feel.” Sharon Sankey - Counsellor, St John’s Hospice

The chat came alive as attendees shared their own experiences and responded to what they were hearing. It was an ambitious session for our little support team, but an important one - giving space to the voices of staff who don’t often get to join our conferences because they’re busy caring for patients and service users. And the best part? There’s even more to come!

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing the recordings we couldn’t fit into the programme, along with extended versions featuring even more insight from the staff you saw on screen. So keep an eye on this blog space - there’s plenty still to look forward to!

Session Resources:

🎥 Watch the recording of the session below 👇

🌍Session 4: Care Opinion Canada

Stories that Shape Better Care

We were thrilled to welcome back our colleagues from Care Opinion Canada, who shared their journey so far and the unique landscape they’re working in. Care Opinion Canada is still in its early days - but the clarity of its purpose, and the humanity behind its work, came through powerfully in the team’s reflections.

“Health systems will always be in transition […]. But the need for patients and families and carers to be listened to and heard - that never changes.”

Don McLeod - Executive Director, Imagine Citizens Network / Care Opinion Canada

Despite launching into a health system undergoing massive structural upheaval, the Canadian team has grown from five early adopters to nearly twenty partners in just two years. But the message wasn’t about numbers. It was about why Care Opinion matters, especially in a system where change is constant and uncertainty is the norm.

Their progress is inspiring, and we can’t wait to see what comes next!

Session Resources:

CO Spring Conference - Session 4 Presentation - CO Canada.pdf

🎥 Watch the recording of the session below 👇

⭐ Star Responder Awards ⭐

And of course - the session that everyone loves - our Star Responder Awards! 

We celebrated three brilliant Care Opinion responders - Jane, Jill and Adele - who all stood out for the way they connect with people through their Care Opinion responses.

Jane was praised for her warm, personal approach and for clearly explaining the blood test process in a way that helped the author feel reassured. Jill was recognised for her incredibly detailed and practical response to a long piece of emergency‑department feedback, showing how committed she is to listening and acting on what people say. And Adele was celebrated for her deeply empathetic reply to a family going through a mental health crisis, offering real understanding and encouragement.

Together, they showed exactly what makes a star responder: thoughtful, human conversations that help close the feedback loop and make services better.

Session Resources:

CO Spring Conference - Session 5 Presentation - Star Responder Awards.pdf

🎥 Watch the recording of the session below 👇

🤝A Huge Thank You!

Our Spring Conference was shaped by everyone who gave their time, their stories, and their reflections. To every speaker, panel member, staff voice, and attendee - thank you! 

And a special shout‑out to the Care Opinion team working quietly behind the scenes, fixing things before anyone even notices they need fixing. Our moderators, who keep a careful eye on stories while the rest of the team is presenting. And our admin team, who make sure everything keeps ticking along in the background. We may be a small team, but the amount we achieve together is something we’re really proud of!

And a special thank you to our brilliant producer, Krisztina, who keeps us all on track and somehow manages everything - from our comms to the smooth running of the conference on the day. Our events simply wouldn’t be what they are without her, and we're sure you'll agree they get more impressive every time.

Thank you Krisztina, and apologies for the extra grey hairs!

👀What’s Next?

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing:

• a series of blogs diving deeper into the key session themes
• the full staff reflection recordings (we couldn’t fit them all in on the day - but trust us, they’re worth watching!)

Keep an eye on our blog and socials, and please keep the conversation going using #COconf26. We love seeing your thoughts, takeaways, and reflections from the day.

Thank you again for spending the afternoon with us. Here’s to conference number 11!

We can’t wait to see you there!