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Welcome to our weekly updates
Hold the Date!
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Everything you need to know about contacting NHS 999/111 during times of increased system pressures
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Hosted by East Sussex Partners in Care (ESPIC) and South-East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAM) this session will provide a practical update for care providers across East Sussex and Brighton & Hove on the current system pressures facing South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB).
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Date: Thursday 15 January 2026
Time: 12:30PM - 1:15PM (Additional time allowed for Q&A)
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To reserve a place please click here
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Are You Up-to-date with General Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Requirements?
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The following workshops can support you:
DBS Applications and Eligibility Workshop
This workshop will focus on the disclosure elements of DBS, namely DBS checks, with a particular focus on understanding eligibility for Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS checks. The session will last around 60 minutes. This session is aimed at individuals who are involved in the recruitment of staff or volunteers and would like to learn more about the different types of DBS check and when a role is eligible for a particular type of check.
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Barring and Legal Duty to Refer Workshop
This workshop will focus on the barring aspects of DBS, with a particular focus on understanding the legal duty to refer. This session will last around 60 minutes. This session is aimed at individuals who are involved in HR, management of those in regulated activity, those who have safeguarding responsibilities and those who would be involved in making referrals to the DBS.
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- Official Source: GOV.UK is the best place for detailed guidance, and Sussex Police for current processing updates.
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Displaced Worker Sponsorship Scheme – Open until March 2026
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- 350workers placed to date; 788 available now. Up to £6,000 funding per worker
- Apply while there’s still time!
- Earned Settlement Consultation – Closes 12 February 2026
- Proposals could mean migrant care workers must wait 15 years before claiming settlement
- Provider Briefing Webinar: 2-3pm, 22 January 2026 – Joining details to follow via SESCA website/news
- Employment Rights Bill Consultations – Open Until 15 Jan 2026
- FREE Legal Helpline – Now Live
- 30-minute consultation with Lester Aldridge Solicitors
- Tel: 01202 786126 | Email: sescahelp@LA-Law.com
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Local authority adult social care assurance & accountability arrangements 2026
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As part of our role to share important updates that happen at national level, we are pleased to share the following note from Helen Scott at the DHSC who joined the Care Provider Alliance (CPA) Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) meeting just before Christmas:
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As part of December’s Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for England: 2026-2027 to 2028-2029, the government has made around £4.6 billion additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29, compared to 2025/26. Adult social care funding is also being simplified - to give local government more flexibility - and redistributed to where it is needed most.
As discussed, we have also now published our new annual local authority priority-setting document ‘Adult social care priorities for local authorities - GOV.UK’. This publication sets out clear priority outcomes and expectations for local authorities’ delivery of adult social care from 2026/27, to support local decision-making and progress towards a National Care Service.
It also includes the methodology for how DHSC will calculate adult social care notional allocations for local authorities with adult social care responsibilities over the next 3 years. Notional allocations will not be ringfenced or spend expectations; they are intended to be used as a reference point to support local budget setting, and in conjunction with the adult social care priorities and expectations, to inform local decisions about adult social care spending. We will be publishing the notional allocation figures for each local authority in early 2026 and will let you know once published.
We recognise that successful delivery of our priority outcomes and aim of moving towards a National Care Service requires central government, local government and other local partners including care providers, to work together. The publication therefore sets out how DHSC will engage with local authorities in-year to develop a shared understanding of local and national progress towards this vision. The publication is not a form of statutory guidance, nor a replacement for local authorities’ Care Act 2014 duties; the priority outcomes and expectations outlined are designed to help support local authorities’ in delivering their statutory duties.
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FREE 2026 business timeline
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As an employer, staying on top of key HR, payroll, tax and compliance dates is essential – especially with multiple changes arriving throughout 2026.
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To help, our Partner Citation, has created a FREE 2026 business timeline covering the key dates employers need to know across the year, all in one simple download.
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It includes reminders for key milestones across payroll, statutory pay, HMRC reporting, employment law changes and Companies House updates — helping you plan ahead with confidence.
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Citation’s HR and Employment Law experts support thousands of UK businesses to stay compliant, reduce risk, and save time so you can focus on running your business confidently. Call 0345 844 1111 or click here to learn more.
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Don’t forget to mention ‘RCA East Sussex, Brighton & Hove’ to access your preferential rates!
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Hempsons CMM CQC Q&A series: Prosecutions of health and social care providers in England
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In this blog series, Philippa Doyle, Head of Social Care at Hempsons, answers the most common questions providers ask when dealing with the CQC.
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There has been no major change in regulatory approach. While terminology and publication practices have changed, the fundamental approach CQC takes to enforcement has not significantly shifted.
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Are there material changes providers should be aware of?
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The latest CQC enforcement policy reflects changes made a year ago. Click here for the latest CQC enforcement policy, as of January 2025, setting out how the regulator addresses concerns about providers and individuals.
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New eBook for Home Care Providers by CareLineLive
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From Confusion to Confidence: Conquering Compliance in Home Care
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Our partner CareLineLive is proud to launch a brand-new, practical eBook that helps home care providers across the UK understand compliance like never before, breaking down the latest frameworks and guidance. Written by our Home Care Sector Specialist, Merina Martin, this guide lays out exactly what compliance means and how to stay inspection-ready with confidence.
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- How each UK regulator defines and measures compliance in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Jersey
- Practical steps to strengthen governance, quality assurance and auditing
- How technology can support compliance and inspection readiness
- Insights into building a well-led, sustainable and quality-driven service
Whether you’re reviewing your current systems or preparing for your next inspection, this guide is designed to help providers move from uncertainty to clarity, giving home care teams the tools they need to deliver safe, high-quality, person-centred care every day.
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Latest Updates from GOV.com
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The Home Secretary has announced changes to the pathway to settlement and launched a consultation on these, including how they should be implemented. The changes aim to ensure that the immigration framework remains fair, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of the economy and society. The government is concerned that that lower-wage migrant workers including those on the Health and Care visa, are less likely to make a net fiscal contribution over the long-term.
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What’s being considered in the consultation?
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- Increasing the default qualifying period for settlement from 5 years to 10 years, as set out in the Immigration White Paper Restoring Control over the Immigration System.
- Increasing the qualifying period for settlement to 15 years for those in the Skilled Worker and Health and Care routes in a role below RQF level 6 (this includes care workers and senior care workers).
- Introducing a “No Recourse to Public Funds” (NRPF) condition at settlement, aligning with existing visa conditions.
- Earned settlement criteria, requiring migrants to demonstrate sustained good conduct, contribution, and integration rather than automatic entitlement after a fixed period.
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The Home Office has committed to further engaging across government and with the health and care sector on the consultation and proposed changes, and we will provide further details on this in due course.
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Welcome to another edition of What’s New in Adult Social Care, sharing the latest updates, learning opportunities and resources for health and social care managers and teams across Sussex.
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This week’s focus brings together practical tools, guidance and training to support meaningful co-production across adult social care. The newsletter explores key themes, each supported by reflective resources to help managers and teams consider what good co-production looks like in practice.
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Promote Your Vacancies with the National Recruitment Campaign
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Support your recruitment efforts by using the Adult Social Care recruitment campaign toolkit. The toolkit includes clear guidance on how to upload your vacancies to the DWP Find a Job service and ensure they also appear on the DHSC recruitment page, helping you reach a wider audience.
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Make the most of national promotion to attract people into rewarding roles across adult social care.
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Supporting the Care Sector Through Cold Weather: How AI Can Help
Cold weather in the UK places added pressure on the care sector every year. As temperatures drop, care providers face increased health risks for people they support, higher staff absence, and greater operational strain — all while maintaining safe, compassionate, and compliant care.
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During these challenging months, AI can act as a practical support tool for the care sector, helping organisations stay prepared, responsive, and resilient.
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Protecting Health and Wellbeing
Cold weather can heighten risks such as respiratory illness, reduced mobility, and isolation — particularly for older adults and vulnerable people. AI-enabled systems can help monitor trends in health data, flag early signs of deterioration, and support quicker responses before issues escalate.
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Supporting Workforce Pressures
Winter often brings higher levels of staff sickness and travel disruption. AI can assist care providers with rota planning, identifying potential staffing gaps early, and redistributing workloads more effectively — helping managers maintain continuity of care while reducing stress on teams.
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Improving Operational Resilience
From missed visits to delayed responses, winter conditions can disrupt daily operations. AI can help care services analyse patterns, predict risks, and plan contingencies, allowing organisations to stay proactive rather than reactive during periods of severe weather.
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Strengthening Safety and Compliance
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Cold weather increases the importance of risk assessments, documentation, and incident monitoring. AI can support accurate record-keeping, highlight potential compliance risks, and help care providers demonstrate strong governance during high-pressure periods.
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Keeping Care Person-Centred
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Most importantly, AI helps protect what matters most — human care. By reducing administrative burden and supporting decision-making in the background, AI allows care professionals to focus on reassurance, connection, and personalised support when people need it most.
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Cold weather may be unavoidable, but added pressure doesn’t have to be. With the right technology in place, AI can help the care sector deliver safer, more resilient, and more compassionate care throughout the winter months.
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Click here to view our new and updated website with all our Sponsors!
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