Lessons from Big Care Enterprises to Family-Owned Care – with Kevin Humphrys, CEO of Oakland Care Group

2025-10-28

What can care leaders learn from leading at every scale — from national providers to small, family-owned homes? In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Humphrys, CEO of Oakland Care Group, to explore the realities of leadership in social care — from navigating bureaucracy in large organisations to building trust and agility in smaller, family-led settings. Kevin’s career spans more than 15 years across the care sector, from Allied Healthcare to local charities, interim turnarounds, and now a family-owned group on the South Coast...

What can care leaders learn from leading at every scale — from national providers to small, family-owned homes?

In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Humphrys, CEO of Oakland Care Group, to explore the realities of leadership in social care — from navigating bureaucracy in large organisations to building trust and agility in smaller, family-led settings.

Kevin’s career spans more than 15 years across the care sector, from Allied Healthcare to local charities, interim turnarounds, and now a family-owned group on the South Coast. He shares honest reflections on:

The cultural and operational contrasts between big and small care organisations
The hidden workload of policy, governance, and compliance for smaller providers
How leaders can balance paperwork with people-centred care
The role of technology and platforms like OpenDoc in reducing admin and improving quality
What the next generation of care leaders can do differently

This conversation goes beyond leadership — it’s about purpose, integrity, and how collaboration and shared knowledge can move the care sector forward.

🧠 Key Takeaways

Leadership in care is about balance — between structure and flexibility, compliance and compassion.
Smaller providers carry a heavy governance burden — but digital tools and shared resources can make a real difference.
Technology should free people up for human connection, not replace it.
Sharing knowledge across the sector strengthens everyone — collaboration over competition.

👤 About the Guest

Kevin Humphrys is the CEO of Oakland Care Group, a family-owned care provider based on the South Coast. With a background spanning corporate healthcare, charity leadership, and interim management, Kevin brings a unique perspective on leadership, governance, and innovation in care. He’s also an active voice in care networks across Sussex and a contributor to OpenDoc, a platform transforming how care organisations share and manage policies.

🎧 Tune In If You’re Interested In