Homecare start-up Cera has appointed former deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg as chairman of its advisory board.

Clegg (pictured) chaired his first advisory board meeting for the company, which matches those requiring care with a carer, on 28 February. Earlier this month, the company announced that it had partnered with Barts Health NHS Trust as well as clinical commissioning groups in Harrow, Brent and Hillingdon, to enable doctors to refer patients for care through the app.

Clegg, who led the Lib Dems from December 2007 until May 2015, was named in the New Year’s Honours list in December to receive a knighthood.

Commenting on his appointment, he said: “The country faces huge challenges in the funding and provision of social care, and it is clear that fresh and innovative thinking is required to meet them.

“We are only just beginning to see the potential of technology in public services, and I am enormously excited by the work that Cera is doing – particularly through the use of artificial intelligence – in this area.”