Social care blog

Are you ready for your CQC IPC Inspection?

Are you ready for your CQC IPC Inspection? Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) has always been an important part of delivering a Regulated Activity in any health and social care setting, but the advent of COVID-19 has brought IPC to the forefront of every provider’s mind.

Can a parent be displaced from Court of Protection proceedings involving their child?

In an unprecedented decision a Judge in the Court of Protection proceedings P (Discharge of Party), Re, has discharged the mother of the person who is the subject of these proceedings.

Covid-19 Vaccination – Best Interests & Medical Treatment – Re CR [2021] EWCOP19

In this, the third reported Covid-19 vaccination case, Hempsons represented the applicant CCG.

CQC – staff training for care staff

As a Registered Manager of a regulated activity, you have a personal responsibility to ensure your service operates in accordance with the Fundamental Standards as set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

CQC Key lines of enquiry

Key Lines of enquiry, prompts and ratings characteristics for adult social care services

CQC Notifications and how to challenge a fixed penalty notice

All providers are used to making safeguarding referrals to their Local Authority, but do you always make a referral to the CQC too?

Death notifications in care homes – be prepared

CQC have confirmed 21st July 2021 as the date when they will release data showing notifications received from individual care homes relating to deaths of people with Covid-19 between 10 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.

Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo – we’d love to see you

We are delighted to announce that we will be exhibiting at the Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo, on 15/16 September 2021 at Birmingham’s NEC. We invite you to join us for two days filled with business-defining content, training, and exhibitor demonstrations.

Extending mandatory COVID vaccination throughout health and social care

Mandatory covid vaccination in care homes was implemented on 11 November 2021. Without a valid exemption, workers will not usually be permitted access to (or be able to work in) care homes.

Fundamental standards of care – Regulation 12 – safe care and treatment

All CQC registered providers, from the biggest NHS foundation trust down to the smallest care home, GPs and dentists alike, are required to adhere to the CQC fundamental standards of care.

Harrogate Neighbours launches ‘Care Fest’ with a performance of ‘Fighting for Life’ from touring P...

haysmacintyre & Hempsons Hospice and Care Benchmarking Report

Welcome to the latest edition of the haysmacintyre and Hempsons Hospice and Care Benchmarking Survey Report.

Hempsons welcomes new partner – Liz Hackett

Liz Hackett has joined the healthcare advisory team in our Harrogate office this month.

Inquests podcast series – Inquests in care homes

The Inquests Podcasts return for a second season and will take listeners through the journey of specialist inquests, giving helpful background and advice. No1 - Inquests in care homes

Newsflash: Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations in Health and Social Care Revoked

Hempsons legal experts discuss the latest VCod guidance

Newsflash: Supreme Court ruling in the Mencap v Tomlinson-Blake case

The Supreme Court has this morning ruled in Mencap v Tomlinson-Blake that calculation of national minimum wage (NMW) for sleep-in care workers only needs to include time when they are awake for the purpose of working. Where the employer provides suitable facilities for sleeping, time spent sleeping is not included in the calculation.

Podcast | CQC inspections – what’s the current focus?

In our latest podcast, social care expert Philippa Doyle and Jill Baker discuss the CQC's current approach to inspections.

Prime Minister confirms Terms of Reference for the COVID-19 Inquiry

The Prime Minister has published the final Terms of Reference for the COVID-19 Inquiry, confirming in a written statement yesterday that “The UK inquiry into COVID-19 is now formally established and able to begin its important work”.

Straight Talk – The implications of unlawful discharge

The Fundamental Standards – Safeguarding

In this edition in our series of Fundamental Standards articles, we explore the Health and Social Act 2008 (Regulated Activates) 2014 regulation 13 – 'Safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment'.

The Fundamental Standards – Staffing

In the latest in our series of articles on the CQC Fundamental Standards of Care, Philippa Doyle looks at Regulation 18 – Staffing.

The Fundamental Standards are your bible – get a copy, read them and use them!

Do you want to know how to improve the lives of the people you support and hopefully impress the CQC at the same time – then read the Fundamental Standards and tailor your service to meet those standards.

The Fundamental Standards, Regulation 12: Safe Care & Treatment – Are you compliant?

As part of our series of articles addressing the Fundamental Standards and how you need to ensure your service meets those standards, here we consider Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Safe Care & Treatment (“the Regulation”). It is important to note that the Fundamental Standards are a set of regulations. Each regulation is not entirely divisible from the other. For example, if you are not compliant with Regulation 18 (Staffing) and 19 (Fit and proper persons employed) it is unlikely you will be able to demonstrate compliance with Regulation 12(c).

Visiting arrangements in Care Homes  – New Guidance 2 December 2020

New Guidance has been implemented from 2 December 2020 (Visiting care homes during Covid 19 DHSC).

What now: Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment

Yesterday evening, Sajid Javid announced a reversal of government policy to implement mandatory vaccinations throughout much of the health and social care sectors.

Who regulates the regulator – part two

In January 2020, we saw troubling reports of flawed reporting processes, with the CQC retracting a not insignificant number of reports due to duplication, necessitating re-inspections to enable providers to have confidence in the CQC’s ratings and findings.