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Friday 28th November 2025
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ESPIC Care Awards 2025 – A Night to Remember!
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The ESPIC Annual Care Awards & Gala Evening 2025 was a fantastic celebration of dedication and excellence across East Sussex’s care community. Thank you to everyone who joined us — your energy and support made the evening truly special.
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A huge congratulations to all our Winners and Highly Commended finalists. Your hard work, compassion, and commitment continue to inspire, and it was an honour to recognise your achievements.
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We’re also delighted to share that the charity raffle raised an amazing £875 for Age UK East Sussex. Thank you to everyone who took part and contributed so generously.
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Thank you once again for making the 2025 Care Awards a memorable and uplifting night. We’re already looking forward to next year!
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More Upcoming Events From Us:
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Home Care Providers Webinar
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We’re pleased to invite you to our upcoming Homecare Providers Webinar, designed to give you clear, practical insights into the latest regional and local developments affecting the sector.
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When: Thursday 11th December, 10:30 - 12pm
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This concise, insight-packed session will cover:
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• Local Care Association activities, the Southeast International Recruitment Project, and a workforce update from Skills for Care
• Brighton & Hove City Council’s new Market Support Statement
• Supporting people with complex care needs in the community and delegated healthcare activities
• Building a digital-ready homecare service and available Digital in Reach support
• The Employment Rights Bill – including the Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) – and what it means for providers
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This session is open to all homecare providers, including non-members.
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Exclusive Online Session for Care Providers – 4th December
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We’re pleased to invite care providers to a special online session taking place on Thursday 4th December, designed to give you direct access to support from ESPiC and the IHSCM.
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• Gain a clear understanding of the support ESPiC members receive throughout the year
• Share the operational or leadership challenges you’re currently facing
• Explore new initiatives from the IHSCM
• See first-hand how ESPiC Gold Members benefit from training, consultancy, digital support, and sector-wide collaboration
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Whether you’re already part of the ESPiC Gold Member community or considering joining, this is a chance to experience the practical, day-to-day value our Gold Members receive.
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We look forward to welcoming you.
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International Recruitment Webinar for Homecare Providers
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10 – 11am – Thursday, 4th December 2025
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Navigating Sponsorship & Staffing: UKVI Insights for Home Care Providers
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Places are limited and registration is essential – secure your spot today!
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Join us for an exclusive webinar in partnership with UKVI, designed specifically for Home Care Providers across the southeast.
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This focused session will explore:
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· best practice in compliance
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· understand from UKVI most common reasons for revocations
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· address key challenges currently facing the home care sector; and
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· highlight practical, meaningful solutions to support sustainable recruitment and retention of displaced workers.
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Hosted by SESCA, this event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from UKVI, gain clarity on evolving regulations, and ask the questions that matter most to your service.
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Provider forum for East Sussex CQC-regulated care providers
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In partnership with East Sussex County Council, East Sussex Partners in Care is pleased to invite you to a free in-person forum for providers of CQC-regulated services across East Sussex.
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We’re delighted to share that Quality of Care will be delivering a practical workshop focused on helping you make your care business financially resilient and sustainable.
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They will introduce the tools and training they have developed — including their Care Fee Calculator and Running Cost Calculator — designed to help providers better understand and manage costs, improve financial planning, and support more efficient business operations.
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You will also hear updates directly from Adult Social Care and ESPiC, along with the opportunity to network with fellow providers across the county.
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Date: Tuesday 9 December 2025
Time: 1:15pm – 3:30pm
Location: Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club, Eastbourne
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🌍 International Recruitment Scheme – Applications Still Open
👉 Applications are still open for providers wishing to join the scheme and sponsor a displaced worker.
Find out more on the SESCA website.
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Please help us improve by sharing your thoughts with the independent project evaluation team - you can do this using a brief online survey found at this link:
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Everyday English Sessions for Frontline International Care Staff
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These language and cultural adaptation sessions have been highly successful with the sponsored staff SESCA works with through the international recruitment scheme.It is now available for providers to access for any of your employees you believe would benefit in a two session format. The cost is £150 per worker.Please see the attached leaflet for more information, or the booking link which is:https://buytickets.at/recruitmatch/1907198
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Please click here to read our latest International Recruitment Project Bulletin, which includes:
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- Displaced Worker Recruitment Scheme – update, funding details and how to apply
- Government’s Earned Settlement Model proposals – migrant care workers could move to a 15-year settlement route; consultation open until 12 February 2026
- NMW Increase – Impact on Sponsored Carer Salaries
- Free UKVI webinar for homecare providers – Thursday 4 December
- Supplemental employment for migrant workers – legal guidance from Lester Aldridge
- Driving test reforms – positive changes for overseas care workers
- Fair Pay Agreement consultations – including new Easy Read version
- CQC engagement events – register by Monday 1 December
- Employment Rights Bill – multiple consultations now open
- Erica Lockhart Receives MBE
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New Workshops in Auditing Medicines
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We’re pleased to share two upcoming masterclasses designed to support providers in strengthening their medicines management processes.
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The Medication Training Company is delivering two CPD-certified Medicines Masterclasses. With medicines management being one of the most frequently cited areas in CQC inspections, these sessions will help ensure both care homes and community-based services remain CQC inspection-ready.
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Each masterclass includes access to the Medication Training Company’s comprehensive medicines audit tool — developed in collaboration with current and former CQC pharmacists, and updated annually using a sample of 100 CQC inspection reports to ensure it reflects current regulatory priorities.
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📅 2 December, 10am–1pm
Auditing Medicines in Care Homes
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📅 9 December, 10am–1pm
Auditing Medicines in Community Settings
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Standard cost: £160 + VAT
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ESPIC member price: £120 + VAT using code ESPIC40
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Providers Unite: Sector-Wide Open Letter Now Live – Your Support Is Urgently Needed
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The Providers Unite open letter to the Home Secretary is now live, and we’re urging all members and partners to add their voices.
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Our sector is facing a workforce emergency.
Providers are already losing staff and the proposed settlement reforms would create levels of instability and vacancies that social care simply cannot absorb.
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This is not something we can tackle in isolation — we need a unified national response.
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We encourage you to share this urgently across your networks, with colleagues, partners, and anyone connected to the delivery of care. Every signature strengthens our collective message ahead of the Christmas recess.
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This is about more than immigration policy — it’s about workforce sustainability, safeguarding, integration, and our ability to deliver safe, high-quality care.
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Thank you for standing with the sector when it matters most
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✨ Gold Members — Make the Most of Your Membership!
A quick reminder to our Gold Members: if you haven’t already, take a moment to check your members’ section for the latest updates, exclusive resources, and benefits available to you.
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📝 Have Your Say: ESCC Research on ASC Client Payments
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Have your say about paying for adult social care in East Sussex!
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Share your views in East Sussex County Council's research. It is being conducted by independent research agency SMG, and taking part is confidential – East Sussex County Council will not be told you have taken part, and there will be no impact on the care you or your loved ones receive.
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Survey respondents could win a £50 Amazon voucher in the prize draw, and those who take part in an interview will receive a £40 Amazon voucher.
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You can take part if you are responsible for paying for your own care or for the care of someone else. For more information about this research and your rights, see the Participant Information Sheet:
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Sussex Digital Team– December Events for Social Care Providers
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We’re pleased to share the upcoming December workshops from the Sussex Digital in Reach team — designed to help providers strengthen digital safety, cyber security, and operational resilience across health and social care.
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These sessions are free to attend and open to all CQC-regulated services in East Sussex.
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🔒 Securing the Supply Chain to Safeguard Care
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🎄 The 12 Scams of Christmas – Stay Vigilant This Festive Season
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New RESEARCH STUDY: Food and drink needs of older adults who receive home care
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Food and Drink-related Quality of Life of older adults living at home.
The study is being run by Dr Lavinia Bertini, from Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and
has been funded by the NIHR Research Programme for Social Care.
What is the aim for the study?
This study is looking at how we can make sure older people who use homecare services eat
and drink well. It is not an evaluation of quality of care.
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What does the study involve?
We are looking to analyse national and local guidance and templates used to assess and
improve food and drink-related needs.
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What am I being asked to do?
If you are interested in supporting this study, we would be grateful if you could share blank
needs assessment templates and/or any local guidance and policy related to assessing and
supporting food and drink needs in homecare.
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Why take part?
Taking part in research can be a rewarding experience for people, and as a service it can
help contribute to a better CQC rating under “Learning, Improvement and Innovation”.
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Next steps:
If you are able to support this study, or would like to discuss it further, please email the
research team at l.bertini@bsms.ac.uk and we can answer any questions you might have.
There will be further paid opportunities to get involved in interviews and co-production
workshops.
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Skills for Care: Supporting the Adult Social Care Workforce
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As many of you know, Skills for Care is the strategic workforce-development body for adult social care in England — working to ensure the sector has the right people, skills, and support to deliver high-quality care.
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🔎 What’s New & How It Helps You
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Skills for Care recently published their latest workforce data and insights, giving a clear picture of current trends across social care — vital workforce planning intelligence for providers.
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Their work supports employers with practical tools and guidance to meet regulatory standards, deliver consistent training, and build a skilled, caring workforce.
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For organisations serious about long-term sustainability, Skills for Care’s resources — including workforce data, training guidance, and development pathways — can help with recruitment, retention, quality improvement, and compliance.
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✅ What We Recommend You Do
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Take a look at what Skills for Care offers — whether you're a care home, domiciliary provider, or support service. Their insight and resources can help you plan staffing, training, and compliance more confidently.
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Webinars for social care providers
winter 2025
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Join Hempsons legal specialists for their free social care webinars this winter.
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How to support services that have had regulatory breaches during a CQC inspection
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In this CQC blog series, Philippa Doyle, Head of Social Care at Hempsons, answers the most common questions providers ask when dealing with the CQC. This time, Philippa answers: How can services that have previously had regulatory breaches during an inspection, evidence that strategies have been implemented to address them upon reinspection?
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This week’s edition focuses on sustainability in health and social care, prompted by the increasing expectations outlined in the CQC’s Quality
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Update for Care Providers — Key Alerts & Upcoming Support
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The latest Adult Social Care Provider Bulletin from East Sussex County Council includes several important updates and upcoming opportunities for local care providers.
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- A webinar on LFD testing for flu and COVID-19 specifically for care homes, including guidance on correct use and reporting processes.
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A free in-person “Wellbeing at Work” event on Thursday 4 December, 10am–1pm in Eastbourne — offering support around staff wellbeing, workplace culture, mental health, and musculoskeletal health.
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New training opportunities, including medicines optimisation sessions and winter-resilience support for both care homes and community providers.
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A webinar for Personal Assistants on Tuesday 9 December, 10am–11am, focusing on practical tools and support for PAs working independently or in small teams.
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A reminder to take part in the “Paying for Care” survey, encouraging providers to share experiences that will help shape future social care funding approaches locally.
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📣 Have Your Say: CQC Consultation on Assessing & Rating Providers
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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has launched a public consultation called “Better regulation, better care” to improve how it assesses, inspects and rates health and care providers. cqc.org.uk+2cqc.org.uk+2
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Reintroducing rating characteristics to describe what each rating level (e.g. Good, Requires Improvement) looks like in practice cqc.org.uk+2cqc.org.uk+2
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Developing sector-specific assessment frameworks to better reflect the context of different services cqc.org.uk+2cqc.org.uk+2
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Simplifying the language and removing duplication to make frameworks clearer for all stakeholders cqc.org.uk+2cqc.org.uk+2
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Adjusting how judgements are made — with more emphasis on professional judgement, and changes to rating methods and follow-ups cqc.org.uk+2dacbeachcroft.com+2
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Potential changes in how NHS trusts are rated, including restoring an overall quality rating and reviewing location-level ratings cqc.org.uk+2dacbeachcroft.com+2
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This is your chance to help shape the future of regulation in health and social care — whether you’re a provider, user, carer, or stakeholder. The consultation is open to everyone. cqc.org.uk+2cqc.org.uk+2
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Less than a month to go before Christmas! During this time, many companies will be hosting end of year parties – but how can you make sure everyone stays responsible and compliant with the Worker Protection Act 2024 to safeguard against harassment?
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Access your free Citation HR and Health & Safety advice line. Call 0161 504 0843 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday for free, confidential Health & Safety and HR advice that puts you first. Remember to quote ESPiC & BHPiC when you call!
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Last month, we saw 500+ webinar registrations for “Home Office & CQC: Simplifying Compliance for Providers", a clear sign of how valuable it is to help providers navigate both CQC and Home Office compliance.
Following that success, we’ve created a free checklist with Quality Compliance Systems (QCS), simplifying what providers need to stay compliant and protect their business, staff, and service users.
What’s inside:
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- The latest CQC Single Assessment Framework updates
- Recruitment and staffing requirements
- Sponsor licence duties and Home Office reporting rules
- Common compliance risks and how to avoid them
- A joint, actionable CQC–Home Office checklist
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How AI Helps Us in Care Homes
♿ Disability History Month: Celebrating Inclusion in Care
Disability History Month, running from mid-November to mid-December, is a time to recognise the achievements, experiences, and rights of disabled people. In health and social care — especially in care homes — it’s an opportunity to reflect on how we support inclusion, dignity, independence, and equal access for all.
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🌟 Why It Matters in Care Homes
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Many residents, staff, and family members live with visible or hidden disabilities. Disability History Month reminds us that:
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Accessibility is essential, not optional — physically, emotionally, and socially.
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Every individual’s experience is different and deserves to be understood and respected.
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Inclusive environments improve wellbeing, confidence, and quality of life.
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Care homes play a key role in championing disability rights and modelling inclusive practice.
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🏡 Connecting It to Everyday Care
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In a care-home setting, disability inclusion means more than compliance — it means creating a culture of belonging. This can include:
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Providing equal opportunities to engage in activities, outings, and conversations.
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Ensuring communication needs are met — e.g., large-print materials, hearing-aid-friendly spaces, visual cues.
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Supporting residents to maintain independence, however small the step.
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Highlighting and addressing barriers that may limit comfort, confidence, or participation.
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Encouraging staff to share knowledge, ask questions, and continuously grow their understanding of different disabilities.
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💡 How We’re Observing It This Month
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Here are ideas you can include in your newsletter or adapt for your setting:
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Accessibility Check-In: Review communal areas for barriers (clutter, signage, lighting, mobility access).
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Awareness Spotlight: Share short stories or facts about different disabilities — physical, sensory, cognitive, and hidden.
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Activity Focus: Run inclusive sessions such as sensory activities, reminiscence therapy, or accessible fitness classes.
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Staff Learning Moment: Offer a 10-minute briefing on hidden disabilities or communication strategies.
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Celebrating Strengths: Highlight residents’ skills, achievements, or life experiences that challenge assumptions about disability.
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Disability History Month reminds us that disability is not a limitation — but society’s barriers can be.
By fostering an environment built on respect, inclusion, and empowerment, we not only honour the spirit of this month but improve the everyday experience of the people we care for.
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Events and Training
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More events have been added this week! Click here to view all upcoming events.
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Our Sponsors & Partners
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Click here to view our new and updated website with all our Sponsors!
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