Members Voice. Issue 2, Care England - Savings, Solutions, and Sustainability

MEMBERS' VOICE

Your

questions answered ??

At Care England, we are always keen to hear from our members and we strive to answer any questions and queries our members may have. In this issue of Savings, Solutions, and Sustainability, George Appleton, Head of Policy at Care England, and Charlotte Lezard, Policy and Public Affairs Officer at Care England, provide the answers to support providers on the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme and CQC Assessment Framework, and also update on workforce and immigration policy and share how to navigate an inquest.

Q: Work has begun on our organisational ESG strategy. This has been made easier thanks to Care England’s SMART system. Can I clarify whether the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) is mandatory for companies that employ more than 250 people?

George Appleton: I am pleased to hear SMART has been helpful! As per GOV.UK, for the qualification date for the third compliance period of ESOS (31st December 2022) a large undertaking is any UK company that either: employs 250 or more people, or; has an annual turnover in excess of £44m, and an annual balance sheet total in excess of £38m. You must take part in ESOS if your undertaking is part of a corporate group which includes another UK undertaking or UK establishment which meets these criteria. I don’t believe you would have been contacted as an organisation; it is a self-registration process, details of which can be found through GOV.UK.

Q: What tips does Care England have for providers to help navigate the impact of an inquest and to be ready to deal with any action arising?

Charlotte Lezard: Many providers will at some point be involved in an inquest by virtue of the delivery of

care and services to the elderly and vulnerable. As soon as there is a death of a service user, the provider must notify CQC if the person died whilst a regulated activity was being provided and the person’s death may have been a result of the regulated activity or how it was provided. The death may also be reported to the coroner’s office. Following this, investigations may progress. Providers should follow a protocol or checklist to minimise disruption to the business and to enable them to respond to concerns raised swiftly.

Care England’s legal partner, Weightmans, has prepared ‘Practical tips to prepare for an inquest’ which is available through the Care England website. Care England members can also avail themselves of 15 minutes' free consultation with one of the Weightmans' solicitors. To redeem this offer, please contact info@ careengland.org.uk.

Q: How significant do you anticipate the migration changes to the number of dependants able to come with an overseas recruit will be?

GA: On 4th December, the Home Secretary announced significant changes to the immigration system,

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including an increase in the minimum annual salary required for employees applying for a skilled worker visa in the UK from £26,000 to £38,700; however, those on health and care visas will be exempt, as well as measures to stop workers from bringing dependants.

Care England had no insight into the immigration announcement but is now working with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office on what the key issues will be for the sector.

Care England’s Chief Executive, Professor Martin Green OBE, gave evidence to the Health and Care Select Committee on 19th December 2023 to discuss the magnitude of these changes.

Care England has a panel of international recruitment experts on hand to discuss these issues with care providers which is available on the Care England website.

Q: As we approach the fee uplift period, what resources are available to support care providers?

CL: Care England has continued to work at all levels of Government, from ministers to senior cabinet members, to highlight the key issues affecting the adult social care sector and the principles which underpin good practice in the context of funding decisions, including what good engagement looks like, maintaining transparency in decisions, and how decisions are made based on the availability of provision within the local market etc.

Care England is working to establish a priority of local authorities to engage with. To do this, we will be using the data we have available to care providers via our Market Intelligence System, MINT, as well as wider data from the cabinet minutes, to help understand the rationale for funding decisions and how these should be escalated and challenged.

We also have work that has been produced by some of our legal partners which gives Care England members an arsenal of template letters and information to help influence and challenge fee decisions. These are available via the Members Area of the Care England website.

Q: The CQC’s new single assessment framework has a quality statement on environment sustainabilitysustainable development. How can providers prepare to be assessed on this?

GA: According to the CQC’s website, environmental sustainability will be assessed in NHS trusts (at trust level) and as part of the ICS assessments for the first year of the Single Assessment Framework. Other service types will not be assessed on the environmental sustainability quality statement for the first year.

While the CQC is still developing its approach to assessing this quality statement, we can anticipate the CQC will look at what your service is doing to mitigate any negative impact your service has on environmental issues, and how people you support and who work in your service are making a positive contribution to reducing their impact on the environment.

To prepare, it’s worth making sure your staff know what environmental policies you have in place, on issues such as renewable energy, sustainable transport, food waste etc. SMART has a dedicated ESG module which outlines areas a provider can consider when working towards ESG targets.

Care England knows how important it is for providers to be informed, so we hosted a webinar with sector experts RSM and CQC on how to make ESG work in the care sector. You can find a copy of the recording by visiting https://www.careengland.org.uk/events/esgwhat-is-the-direction-of-travel-for-the-care-sector/.

George Appleton is Policy Manager at Care England, and Charlotte Lezard is Policy and Public Affairs Officer at Care England.

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