September has been another busy month for adult social care in England, with a wave of announcements, reforms and reflections shaping the future of the sector. In this blog, we have utilised AI to help summarise the most impactful updates
🏛️ Major Policy Announcements
£500 Million Fair Pay Agreement for Care Workers
- The Department of Health and Social Care announced a £500m investment to establish the first-ever Fair Pay Agreement for adult social care workers.
- A new Adult Social Care Negotiating Body will be formed in 2026, bringing together employers and trade unions to negotiate pay and conditions.
- The agreement is expected to boost wages by 2028, improve recruitment and retention, and elevate care work as a respected profession. Read more here
Jess’s Rule for GPs
- A new standard called Jess’s Rule was introduced, requiring GPs to reassess diagnoses if a patient presents three times with the same or worsening symptoms.
- Aimed at preventing missed diagnoses, especially in serious conditions like cancer. Read more here
🧑⚕️ Workforce & Skills Updates
Skills for Care Highlights
- Digital Technology in Care: A month-long campaign showcased how tech is improving care delivery, staff efficiency, and independence for service users. Read more here
- Moving Up Programme: A leadership development initiative for Black and Asian managers launched in September. Read more here
- Preceptorship Sessions: Free webinars and workshops to support new nursing staff and preceptorship leads. Read more here
- Joint Statement on Workforce Safety: Skills for Care and the Race Equity Reference Group responded to reports of racist abuse against care workers. Read more here
Workforce Skills Survey
- A DHSC survey of 3,000 providers found:
- Skills gaps remain a challenge.
- Barriers to investment include funding and time.
- Promotion criteria often lack consistency.
- Providers are concerned about future skills needs. Read the survey results here
🏢 CQC Regulatory Changes – Inspection Framework Overhaul
- All 34 Quality Statements will now be inspected during every visit.
- Evidence will be assessed holistically, not individually.
- CQC is piloting a return to named inspectors to improve relationships and consistency.
- Focus on rebuilding trust and improving inspection quality.
- Emphasis on sector-specific guidance and integrated care.
- A new assessment framework is planned for 2026, with consultation starting in autumn 2025. Find out more about these updates here
📊 Reports & Reviews
Social Care Foundation Report
- Calls for radical reform, including:
- A National Care System.
- Abolishing local authority funding.
- A Care Supplement similar to pensions.
- A “My Care” portal for easier navigation.
Read the full report here
Age UK Report
- Reveals a decline in healthy life expectancy and rising multimorbidity among older adults.
- Highlights the urgent need for better integration between health and social care.
Read the full report here
💚Stay up to date
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Many thanks to our sponsors:
- Prosperwell: https://www.prosperwell.co.uk/
- Care Business Associate Training: https://cbassociatetraining.co.uk/
- Attis Insurance Brokers LTD: https://www.attisinsurancebrokers.com/
- Log My Care: https://www.logmycare.co.uk/
- Florence: https://www.florence.co.uk/
- Health Automated https://www.healthautomated.online/
- Enlearningment https://enlearningment.co.uk/
- Every Step Care Consultancy https://everystepcare.com/
Nice balance of theory and practical advice. Well done!