NCF Update 27.10.22

 

An update from the National Care Forum

Ministerial Reshuffle

The new PM, Rishi Sunak, didn't wait around for a reshuffle. We now have the names of those taking the major Cabinet roles as well as the beginnings of a junior minister reshuffle. 

Of note is the fact that Steve Barclay has returned to DHSC as the Secretary of State.

Helen Whately has also returned as a Junior Minister at DHSC. At time of writing, Whately's exact role hasn't been announced and Neil O'Brien remains as Minister for Care, but we will update you if that changes. We suspect Whately might get her old care role.

I've outlined some of the major Cabinet changes below: 

  • Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care - he returns after a brief stint between July and September 2022.

  • Jeremy Hunt remains Chancellor of the Exchequer

  • Michael Gove - returns as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

  • Dominic Raab returns to his roles as Deputy PM, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice - we may see the return of the Bill of Rights Bill

  • James Cleverly - Secretary of State for the Foreign Office

  • Suella Braverman - Secretary of State for the Home Office

  • Grant Shapps - Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

  • Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education - the former Minister for Care has been promoted

  • Penny Mordaunt - Leader of the House of Commons

  • Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Full list here.

Fiscal Statement Delay

The new PM has delayed the fiscal statement planned for 31 October until 17 November. It will now be a full Autumn Statement and the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast will be published on the same day. We have written to the new PM to call on him to commit to the reform of adult social care and the funding required to do this. Please share this letter.

Report on Exempt Accommodation

The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee has published its report into exempt accommodation today.

The Committee’s report recommends that the Government:

  • Introduce compulsory national minimum standards for exempt accommodation, including on referrals, care & support, and quality of housing

  • Give local councils the powers and resources to enforce these standards

  • Require all exempt accommodation providers to be registered

  • Create a National Oversight Committee to join-up existing regulators and mend the current ‘patchwork regulation’ which has too many holes

  • Ensure the providers of exempt accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse have recognised expertise to provide specialist support and a safe environment

  • Review the system of exempt housing benefit claims and clamp down on the exploitation of the lease-based exempt accommodation model for profit

Detail on how CQC will assess providers in the new regulatory model

CQC has published more information on their website about how they will assess providers in the new regulatory model. This covers:

  • How often CQC will assess services

  • How CQC will gather evidence

  • How CQC will reach a rating

A timeline is still in development for when they will implement the new approach.