Irene Brings Carers Cloud to Life

Irene Watkins

After decades working across health and social care, Irene Watkins is using her experience to tackle a problem most UK employers don’t yet realise they have.

Irene, who originally trained as a nurse in Leeds, later moved to Australia before returning to Wales, where she helped to establish Cardiff’s first carers’ centre and then worked in service development with Macmillan Cancer Support. Her path has included corporate executive roles in nursing homes, domiciliary care and housing.

Prior to developing her new business, Irene was CEO of Prospect Hospice in Swindon, leading the charity through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic to ‘Outstanding” rating from the Care Quality Commission.

Her new business, Carers Cloud, draws on that experience to address a growing workforce issue: the employees who are looking after a relative as an unpaid carer and juggling work life balance.

Irene said: “Family carers are often hidden in plain sight. They’re just doing what’s right for their family and friends and often don’t even see themselves as carers.”

The scale is significant. This applies to one in seven UK workers. Carers UK estimates that inadequate support costs UK business roughly £8.2 billion a year in absence, lost productivity and staff turnover. Every day, around 600 people leave employment because of caring responsibilities often experienced people their employers can’t easily replace.

Carers Cloud helps businesses respond to proactively identify hidden family carers and help employees to plan for the future of caring for ageing relatives. The process maps their caring journey and provides managers with the training to have the right conversations to reduce attrition, presenteeism and absence. It also audits how well an organisation complies with the Carer’s Leave Act 2024 and estimates how many carers an organisation employs turning an invisible risk into something leaders can measure and act on.

That commercial framing sets Carers Cloud apart from general wellbeing guidance. Rather than offering advice, it gives employers a clear benchmark of where they stand and where their risk concentrates.

Irene is grateful for the support from her team of advisers including Dr Sheila Popert, Consultant in Palliative Care; Dr Sam Morgan, Menopause Specialist; Dr Paul Jennings, NHS GP; and Sue Starkey, Professional Coach.

With support from Innovate UK, Fintech Wales, Catapult Digital and PRIME Cymru, Irene has been able to make her dream a reality.

PRIME Cymru Volunteer Mentor, Nick Carruthers, has been a sounding board for Irene’s ideas from the start.

She said: “Nick was great – he gave me some good contacts to help to kick things off”

“It’s never too late to start a business. Life is short so go for it and give it 100%. To have an organisation like PRIME Cymru supporting people as they get older is fantastic.”

Irene is looking for organisations who would trial and collaborate with the development of Carers Cloud. To get involved, visit www.carerscloud.com or contact Irene through Linkedin.

If you are over 50, living in Wales and would like support to set up a business, please contact PRIME Cymru for free support. Call 01550 721813 or email enquiries@primecymru.co.uk.