The Department of Health has released a report stating there could be 28,000 fewer workers in the care sector in England in five years after leaving the European Union if employers were no longer able to recruit European Economic Area (EEA) staff. With the expected onset of rising life expectancy and increases in the number […]

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court ruled that legal permission to withdraw treatment from patients in a permanent vegetative state will no longer be necessary. The effect of the ruling means that, when families and doctors agree, it will now be easier for medical staff to withdraw food and liquid from patients without having to […]

The Local Government Association (LGA) has published its own social care green paper whilst we wait for central government’s official green paper, due in the Autumn. Suggestions have been made that income tax should be increased for taxpayers of all ages, an increase in national insurance, a social care premium which charges the over 40s […]

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has become the regulator in law for nursing associates – the new health and care role designed to bridge the gap between unregulated health care assistants and registered nurses. In 2015, Health Education England’s Shape of Caring review , identified a gap in skills and knowledge between health care assistants and […]

The largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, Care England, has responded to the Competition and Market Authority’s consultation document on draft advice on consumer law for care home providers. Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England has said:- “Unfortunately the CMA has limited the scope of its draft guidance […]

Problems with bed shortages have reached an all time high. In a bid to alleviate a serious bed shortage Halton Council has purchased two new care homes. A report from the board showed that the current level of care is not sustainable. Vacancy rates are at five per cent which is worse than the national […]

Ofsted’s annual report has revealed an increasing number of complaints are being upheld than they were previously. In terms of statistics, between 2017 and 2018, 20% of complaints were either upheld or partially upheld at the second stage of Ofsted’s complaints procedure, compared to 17% between 2016 and 2017. With regards to complaints reaching the […]

The Court of Appeal has reversed an Employment Tribunal judgment which could have cost the care sector £400m in back pay to staff. The ruling relates to social care workers who had been paid a flat rate for shifts where they slept in a patient’s house or at a care home to provide support if necessary, known […]

As David Behan prepares to depart his position as Chief Executive of the CQC this is a good opportunity to consider the impact that he has had on the health and social care sector. Having inherited an organisation on the brink of destruction, thanks to the mismanagement of Cynthia Bower and the effects of the […]