From 2 December 2020 visitors to care homes will once again be able to visit residents within care homes if they receive a negative COVID-19 test conducted on site at the care home and which can provide results within 30 minutes of the tests being conducted. This measure will provide some reassurance to both visitors …
Care Homes to allow visitors with negative COVID-19 test Read More »
Scotland has announced it will be providing a £500 bonus to care workers and NHS staff as soon as possible as a reward for working during the pandemic. The bonus is similar to one that was given by Wales earlier this year but is wider reaching. There have been repeated calls for a similar bonus …
Scotland follows Wales in offering bonus to health and care staff Read More »
The Government’s most recent winter plan announced on 23 November 2020 that it was committed to provide twice weekly testing for regular visits for up to two visitors of care home residents. It now emerges that this testing will be rapid lateral flow testing which provide results on site within 30 minutes at a care …
Health Secretary sets out intention to safely increase visitors allowed into care homes Read More »
The BMA has written to the Government to request that CQC’s inspection activity be stopped in order for GPs to focus on the effort to deliver vaccines once available to those in need. The BMA letter states that if CQC continue the practice of inspections, this will distract practices from fulfilling the vital role of …
GPs urge CQC to halt all non-essential inspections of practices Read More »
The shortage occupations list is a list of jobs which are given preferential treatment by the UK in respect of the immigration status of applicants into the UK labour market. The Home Secretary commissioned a review of this list which made recommendations specific to the care home sector in respect of the inclusion of care …
A report published on 22 October 2020 focuses on the use of restrictive practices and restraint in specialist hospitals which care for people with learning disabilities and/or autism. The report is critical of both providers who deliver care to these individuals and of the commissioners of care who fail to properly intervene prior to people’s …
The CQC’s position on the use of restraint in learning disability hospitals Read More »
On 30 September 2020 the CQC published its draft strategy on how it proposes to regulate the health and social care sector from 2021 and beyond. Note some key takeaways from this draft document below: The CQC intends to rely much more on data over inspections which will direct the CQC in terms of action …
The Government implore social care workers alongside their NHS colleagues to take the flu vaccine to protect themselves, the people that they care for and their colleagues. The flu vaccine is offered free of charge to frontline social care workers from a GP or pharmacy which marks an improvement in access to the vaccine. Last …
Following the Government’s announcement of more restrictions in order to try and manage increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases, questions have been raised about how likely the measures will be to impact upon the CQC’s return to “crossing the threshold” to physically inspect health and social care providers. The short answer is that we don’t know …
The CQC’s regulatory regime has historically centred around a schedule of inspections of providers to assure itself of the quality of care offered. It seems apparent that following the decision to suspend inspections in March 2020 that the CQC will be looking to move away from its historic model of inspections for inspections’ sake. Its …
Will CQC cross the threshold post-COVID-19? As published in Caring Times September 2020 Read More »
Ridouts is a team of specialist health and social care lawyers, providing dedicated legal advice for care homes, GP practices, children’s homes, dental practices, domiciliary and home care agencies, supported and independent living services and both private and NHS hospitals.
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