This Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) article comes with great sadness, with responsibility for writing it falling to me instead of our president, Harold Bodmer, who died suddenly last month.

His death came as a huge shock to all of us at ADASS and in the wider health and social care spheres, but, most of all, to those closest to him. We appreciate the touching tributes sent to us and we have sent them all on to his family, who I’m sure will be grateful for everyone’s kind words and recognition of his dedication to his work.