1. Quality, Standards, Regulation and Ratings an essential policy update for frontline managers
Venue: London
Date: 2 March 2016

2. In summary The promise of the Care Act
A deepening crisis in social care?
Making sense of the Spending Review
Continuing concerns about quality, regulation and inspection
And finally … implications for providers

3. Quality, standards, regulation & ratings: a brief policy update

4. 1. The promise of the Care Act
Rebalances the focus of care and support on promoting wellbeing and preventing (or delaying) needs
Shift from duty to provide services to meeting needs i.e. person-centred
Assessments should be “appropriate, proportionate, person-centred and ensure focus on duty to promote wellbeing”

5. The promise of the Care Act (2)
Provides for the development of national eligibility criteria
Treats carers as equal to the person they care for and on the same legal footing
Duty on LAs to produce care and support plans and to offer a personal budget

6. The promise of the Care Act (3)
LAs must facilitate a diverse, vibrant and sustainable ‘market’ for care services. Good commissioning should follow key principles outlined in the Act
LAs will be required to promote integration with NHS and other key partners
Reforms how care and support is funded, to create a cap on care costs (but not yet!)

7. 2. A deepening crisis in social care?

8. 2. A deepening crisis? Public sector funding - continued austerity
Chronic under-funding
On-going workforce challenges and the National Living Wage
Crisis in social care will be a crisis for the NHS

9. 3. Making sense of the SR settlement

10. 3. Making sense of the Spending Review settlement
An increasingly fragile care market
Public sector finance and the 2% percept
Commissioning and market shaping
The contribution of the Better Care Fund
Market developments – specialisation, diversification and segmentation

11. 3. Making sense of the Spending Review settlement
Responding to the Spending Review alongside commissioners, other provider bodies and the Care & Support Alliance
‘NHS cannot function without good social care’
‘What is happening to £6b saved?’
‘How ensure 2% levy is used equitably?’
Social care settlement ‘backloaded’

12. 4. Concerns about quality, regulation and inspection

13. Concerns about quality and inspection
Continuing concerns about quality
The reality of quality ratings
Provider concerns about how the system is working
Further transparency and openness

14. CQC market oversight ‘Difficult to replace’ providers
LA responsibilities and new duties for national oversight by CQC
Assessing provider’s financial sustainability
Informing LAs
Special Measures

15. 5. Implications for providers

16. Some implications for providers
Personal budgets and Direct Payments – new forms of commissioning?
Influencing local markets
Sustainability and the pace of change
Be prepared

17. Some implications for providers
Common themes on sustainability:
Dynamic leadership
Understanding national policy in local context
Working with commissioners on market shaping Care Act duties
Collaborative working

18. Some implications for providers
Integration, integration, integration … but remember housing
Innovation, flexibility and new ways of working … but ‘rebalancing’ of the sector inevitable
Key to implementation is leadership (and particularly the frontline manager)

19. And finally… Resources are available to support providers: CQC SCIE
Skills for Care
NCF and VODG
Care Provider Alliance/LGA