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The independent regulator of health
and social care in England |
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A regular update for providers and professionals working in adult social care.
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 Our annual State of Care report, assessing the quality of health and adult social care in England, has been published.
The report warns that the system remains under significant strain as it prepares for a major shift from hospital to community-based care. While there are examples of innovation, community services need greater investment to deliver the ambitions of the government’s 10-Year Health Plan.
In adult social care, the end of new care worker visas is expected to add recruitment pressures, making a sector-wide workforce strategy and fair pay agreement essential. Shortages in homecare, rehabilitation, and reablement services continue to delay access to care and contribute to hospital discharge delays.
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Julian Hartley has stepped down as Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) with immediate effect. Dr Arun Chopra, Chief Inspector of Mental Health, has taken on the role of Interim Chief Executive until a permanent successor is appointed.
Julian said the decision was difficult but necessary due to his previous role at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the ongoing inquiry into maternity services there. He expressed his regret to affected families and pledged full support for the inquiry. Reflecting on his time at CQC, Julian said he was proud of progress made in improving culture and listening to people, and confident the organisation will continue to strengthen public trust in its work.
 We’ve launched a public consultation on proposals to improve how we assess, make judgements, and award ratings for health and care services.
The proposals build on earlier engagement and external reviews by Dr Penny Dash, Professor Sir Mike Richards, and the Care Provider Alliance. They aim to make our approach clearer, simpler, and more trusted through collaboration and co-design with people who deliver and use services.
Changes include reintroducing rating characteristics, replacing quality statements with assessment questions, and strengthening the role of professional judgement.
An equality impact assessment has been published alongside the consultation. The consultation is open to everyone until 5pm on 11 December 2025.
In his first interview as Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care with Care Management Matters, Chris Badger shares his vision for the sector.
The interview covers his priorities for improving adult social care, including how regulation can support safe, high-quality care for people who rely on services. Chris reflects on the challenges providers face and the importance of working collaboratively to address them.
He also explains how CQC plans to engage with providers, respond to emerging issues, and strengthen oversight across the sector.
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 The Department of Health and Social Care’s successful ‘Make Care Your Career’ campaign returns this October to connect passionate people with rewarding roles in care. Running until March 2025, the campaign will feature real care workers and recipients, showcasing the rewarding nature of care work and career progression opportunities.
To make the most of the campaign:
- Post your vacancies on the campaign website so jobseekers can find your roles easily.
- Align recruitment activities such as job fairs or open days with the campaign period.
- Use free campaign resources, including posters and social media templates.
- Add the ‘Make Care Your Career’ logo to your materials to link with the national campaign.
Other news
- Subscribe to our WhatsApp channel, where we share the latest news and updates on improving how we work.
- Pension Credit offers more than financial help – it can unlock extra support worth hundreds of pounds a year, from help with housing and energy costs to free NHS dental treatment and TV licences for over-75s. Please share this information or repost @DWP messages to help reach eligible pensioners. Find out what you could get and how to apply. Eligibility criteria apply.
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The National Cyber Security Centre has published resources to help adult social care providers strengthen cyber resilience, including the Cyber Action Plan, Cyber Essentials, and incident response guidance. To support Cyber Awareness Month, an external partner campaign pack and the new Cyber Action Toolkit are available, offering practical steps to prevent and respond to cyber threats. Providers are encouraged to explore these tools to help deliver safer, more secure care.
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The Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed £21 million funding to continue the Better Security, Better Care programme, helping adult social care providers improve data and cyber security. Providers can use the free Data Security and Protection Toolkit Policy Builder to create tailored, compliant policies.
Adult social care providers can also take part in a pilot of the Redflags cyber awareness tool from November to December 2025. Explore new case studies and listen to the CTRL + Care podcast for practical digital care insights.
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The latest report from Skills for Care highlights that the adult social care workforce in England grew again in 2024/25, with 52,000 more filled roles and vacancies dropping to 7 %, back to pre‑COVID levels. But the report also flags ongoing challenges around retention, recruitment, and future workforce supply.
Providers and managers working in adult social care will find valuable insights and trends in this data. Read the full report.
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