- Government ministers have held briefings throughout the week on the response to coronavirus. [Friday] [Monday] [Tuesday] [Wednesday] [Thursday]. NB: Daily government briefings will no longer be held on the weekends.
- Public Health England has published a report into the factors that may be influencing the impact of COVID-19 on BAME communities and strategies for addressing inequalities. The British Medical Association, Health Foundation, the Local Government Association, NHS Confederation, the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society have responded.
- The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has written to Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of the NHS, requiring NHS England and NHS Improvement to process confidential patient information for purposes related to COVID-19.
- The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced the immediate authorisation for the NHS to use Dexamethasone as a coronavirus treatment.
- DHSC has published interim advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on the groups that should be prioritised for vaccination, if and when a vaccine is available.
- DHSC has announced 'the next phase of development in building an app that supports the end-to-end NHS Test and Trace service', using the new Google /Apple framework.
- The Health and Social Care Select Committee (HSCSC) has also published a letter from Baroness Harding, Executive Director of Test and Trace on progress with test and trace.
- The Labour Party has called for routine testing of all staff in the NHS and social care sectors ‘to help minimise transmission of COVID-19’.
- Health Foundation has published polling which found that ‘the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased public recognition of the role of the state in supporting good health’. The research covers perspectives of both local and national government.
- Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP (Conservative, West Suffolk) has laid a Written Ministerial Statement on his Department's 'Contingency Fund Advance' to support the running costs of the Department, NHS and Arm’s Length Bodies during COVID-19.
- The Home Affairs Select Committee has published a report on ‘Home Office preparedness for Covid-19 (coronavirus): immigration and visas’. CQC data on care home deaths is referenced on page 10.
For the extended list of stakeholder announcements on COVID-19 from this week, please see here.
For more information, please contact Chris Hares.
- NHS England has announced that ‘almost all GP practices in England’ have signed up to the new Primary Care Network (PCN) contract for the next year.
- The Health and Social Care Select Committee (HSCSC) has published a series of letter on ‘disruption of GP training due to COVID-19’. The letters are from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), the General Medical Council (GMC), Health Education England (HEE), the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Chief Executive of the NHS.
- Public Health England (PHE) has published the results of their oral health survey of adults attending dental practices in 2018.
For further stakeholder announcements on primary care from this week, please see here.
For more information, please contact Ellie Southgate.
- The Centre for Mental Health has published a report which argues that ‘the unequal impact of the virus and the lockdown are putting greater pressure on groups and communities whose mental health was already poorer and more precarious’.
For more information, please contact Chris Hares.
- Public Health England (PHE) has published new guidance on infection prevention and control (IPC) for NHS hospital trusts and private hospital providers. The British Medical Association (BMA) has responded.
- NHS Providers has called on the government to commit to a set of protocols for all future announcements affecting the operations of NHS trusts. They say there has been ‘a succession of announcements where frontline leaders have had no notice of, or input into, key decisions affecting their organisations, patients and staff’.
- The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has published a set of priorities for the NHS ‘as the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic passes and patients with non-urgent COVID-19 conditions are able to access care once again’.
For further stakeholder announcements on hospitals from this week, please see here.
For more information, please contact Mat Hughes.
- The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) has published their annual Budget Survey for 2020, which focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on social care budgets. This is the second part of the report, following the first part published last week which focused on responses to the pandemic. The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) has responded.
- The Economic Affairs Committee (Lords) has written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to ‘urge the Government to respond to the Committee’s July 2019 report, Social care funding: time to end a national scandal.’ CQC submitted written evidence to the original inquiry.
For more information, please contact Ayesha Carmouche.
- NHS Digital has announced an agreement between NHSX, NHS Digital and Microsoft, which they say will ‘save the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds and enable all eligible organisations in England to access Microsoft 365 digital tools’. CQC is listed as an affiliate.
- The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation has published its AI Barometer, a ‘major analysis of the most pressing opportunities, risks, and governance challenges associated with AI and data use in the UK’, initially across five sectors including health and social care. TechUK has responded.
- NHS Digital has announced the introduction of a ‘Reasonable Adjustment Flag’ on patient records, which lets doctors, nurses and other health and care staff know that a patient has a disability or other impairment and has specific needs that require adjustments.
For more information, please contact Chris Hares.
- Health Education England (HEE) has published a report which outlines the ‘improvements that are being made to enhance the training experience of doctors and improve their well-being’.
- The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee (PACAC) has published a letter from Rob Behrens, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) to the committee Chair following a recent scrutiny session of PHSO.
- The Government Actuary's Department has published further information on the new life assurance scheme for frontline NHS staff and social care workers in England.
- The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has published an update on their review of their post-registration standards. They will run a series of webinars on specialist nursing standards.
- The British Association for Social Workers (BASW) and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) have published new resources 'to improve social worker support for autistic adults and adults with learning disability'.
For further cross-cutting stakeholder announcements from this week, please see here.
For more information, please contact Chris Hares.
Monday 15 June
- Oral questions to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in the House of Commons. [Hansard]
- Motion to approve Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No.3) Regulations 2020. [Hansard]
- Public Accounts Committee session on ‘Whole of Government response to COVID-19’. Witnesses included: Jeremy Pocklington, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sam Beckett, Acting Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Sir Tom Scholar, Permanent Secretary, HM Treasury, Alex Chisholm, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, and Cat Little, Director General, HM Treasury.
Tuesday 16 June
- Question in the House of Lords on 'COVID-19: Mental Health' tabled by Baroness Tyler of Enfield (Liberal Democrat). [Hansard] CQC was mentioned in this debate, related to our data on deaths of people subject to the Mental Health Act.
- Health and Social Care Select Committee session on ‘Delivering core NHS and care services during the pandemic and beyond’. Witnesses included: Dr Katherine Henderson, President, Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Professor Derek Alderson, President, Royal College of Surgeons, Mick Armstrong, Chair, British Dental Association, and Steve Poole, joint replacement patient; Daloni Carlisle, cancer treatment patient, Charlotte Augst, Chief Executive, National Voices, Sir Robert Francis, Chair, Healthwatch England, and Dr Layla McCay. [Summary] CQC is mentioned in this session regarding our possible approach to inspections post-pandemic.
Wednesday 17 June
- Oral questions to the Prime Minister in the House of Commons. [Hansard] [Summary]
- Urgent question in the House of Commons on 'Coronavirus' tabled by Jonathan Ashworth MP (Labour, Leciester South). [Hansard]
- Science and Technology Select Committee session on ‘Commercial genomics’. Witnesses included: Dr Tara Clancy, Council Member, Nuffield Council on Bioethics; Graeme Tunbridge, Director of Devices, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency; Lord Bethell, Minister for Innovation, Department for Health and Social Care, and Professor Sir Mark Caufield, Chief Scientist, Genomics England. NB: PGSE colleagues have briefed the Department in advance of this session.
Thursday 18 June
- Backbench Business Committee debate on ‘the effects of COVID-19 on black, Asian and ethnic minority communities’ tabled by Dawn Butler MP (Labour, Brent Central). [Hansard] [Summary]
- Question in the House of Lords on ‘implementation of the COVID-19 track and trace system’ tabled by Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative). [Hansard]
For more information, please contact Chris Hares.
Monday 22 June 2020
- Oral questions to the Department for Education.
- Public Accounts Committee on ‘Readying the NHS and social care for the COVID-19 peak.’ Witnesses include: Sir Chris Wormald, Permanent Secretary, Department for Health and Social Care, Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive, NHS England, Amanda Pritchard, Chief Operating Officer, NHS England and NHS Improvement, Catherine Frances, Director General, Communities, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Powis, National Medical Director, NHS England, Ros Roughton, Director General, Adult Social Care, Department for Health and Social Care, and Professor Paul Johnstone, National Director for Place and Regions, and Deputy SRO for PHE COVID-19 response, Public Health England.
Tuesday 23 June 2020
- Oral question to the Department of Health and Social Care.
- Remaining stages of the Medicines and Medical Devices Bill.
- Health and Social Care Select Committee on ‘Social care: Funding and workforce’. Witnesses include: Sue Ann Balcombe, Registered Manager, Priscilla Wakefield House Nursing Home; Mel Cairnduff, Social Care Worker, Agincare; Marlene Kelly, Registered Manager, Auburn Mere Care Home; Raina Summerson, Chief Executive Officer, Agincare; Professor Martin Green, Chief Executive, Care England; Oonagh Smyth, Chief Executive, Skills for Care; Jane Townson, CEO, UK Homecare Association.
Wednesday 24 June 2020
- Oral questions to the Prime Minister.
- Labour opposition day debate on ‘Health’.
- Lords question on ‘contingencies to ensure adequate stocks of PPE for a potential second wave of Covid-19 and sustainable long-term infection control management in the UK’ tabled by Baroness Watkins of Tavistock (Cross Bench).
- Women and Equalities Select Committee on ‘Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services.’ Witnesses include: Fazilet Hadi, Policy Manager, Disability Rights UK, Ayla Ozmen, Head of Research and Policy, Action on Hearing Loss, Edel Harris, Chief Executive, Mencap, and Sarah Hughes, Chief Executive, Centre for Mental Health.
Thursday 25 June 2020
- Petitions Committee debate in the House of Commons on ‘Recognition and reward for health social care workers’ led by Catherine McKinnell MP (Labour, Newcastle upon Tyne North).
For more information, please contact Chris Hares.
This week, key themes of queries from Members of Parliament and Peers regarding COVID-19 included:
- Concerns around how CQC is able to be assured of standards being maintained without routine inspections.
- PPE safety and how the equipment is being used in care homes.
- Two queries on the lack of operations taking place on patients with back problems.
For more information, please contact Chris Hares.
This week, there were 356 Parliamentary Questions published by DHSC. Key themes to be aware of, all in relation to Covid-19, are:
Testing
- Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck MP (South Shields, Labour) To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what scientific evidence was used to support the policy that covid-19 tests were not provided to care homes with residents under 65.
BAME
- Apsana Begum MP (Poplar and Limehouse, Labour) To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Public Health England's report, Beyond the data: understanding the impact of covid-19 on BAME groups, published June 2020, what plans he has to implement the recommendations on reducing the risk to black Asian Minority Ethnic, BAME, people catching and dying of covid-19.
Human Rights
- Justin Madders MP (Ellesmere Port and Neston, Labour) To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to make an assessment of the merits of requiring (a) NHS England and (b) other non-departmental public bodies to publish discrete human rights policies. CQC colleagues supported the Department with information for their response to this PQ.
If you would like any further information or any full responses to these themes, please contact government.engagement@cqc.org.uk
This week, there were no external speaking engagements this week.
For more information, or to notify the Parliamentary, Government and Stakeholder Engagement team of a speaker engagement you are undertaking on CQC’s behalf (national or regional), contact the Speaker Engagement mailbox.
There were 27 mentions of the CQC in national, regional and trade publications this week:
- On Saturday, an article in the Times discussed the public health crisis facing "cash-strapped" care homes amid the coronavirus pandemic. The story includes a comment from Chairman of HC-One and the former CQC chief executive, Sir David Behan in which he states that the care industry is "teetering under the pressure".
- On Saturday, iNews reported that the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has reopened fitness to practice cases into three mental health staff who worked at North Essex Partnership University Trust following repeated reports and inquiries into the deaths of patients in its care. A CQC inspection of the trust’s services last year found the trust was "good" overall but "requires improvement".
- On Monday, a story in the Guardian focused on the outbreak of Coronavirus at Melbury Court in Durham, the worst hit care home in the UK with 26 recorded Covid-19 fatalities. The piece raises questions over the care home's ability to handle a "widely feared second peak" of the virus, noting that it was rated "good" by CQC.
- On Monday, a story in the Daily Mail highlighted concerns from business experts that as many as one in ten care homes could go bust under the pressures of coronavirus – forcing thousands of older people to move. The story claims that hundreds of care homes are facing a collapse in income as well as soaring costs for PPE and agency staff. The piece states that a CQC report has also warned providers could go out of business because of a shortfall of income due to resident deaths and increased costs.
- On Tuesday, a story in the Daily Telegraph discussed the Government’s £600 million Infection Control Fund to help care homes combat coronavirus announced by the chancellor last month. Care home managers are said to have branded the cash fund “useless” as it does not cover the cost of PPE bought before the peak of the outbreak. The story references data from CQC and the Care Inspectorate Wales which shows that in the week to last Friday 448 people died in care homes with confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus.
- On Tuesday, the Independent focused on concerns by charity Mencap that people with learning disabilities are being forgotten during the pandemic, despite being one of the groups most affected by the crisis. Mencap has argued that lockdown has exacerbated existing challenges and inequalities. The story references CQC data revealing a 134 per cent increase in deaths of people with learning disability in care settings during the crisis.
- On Wednesday, the Independent highlighted warnings from CQC’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Ted Baker, about the risks to patient safety if the NHS winter crisis is worsened by coronavirus. In an interview with the paper’s Health Editor, Professor Baker said that Covid has brought the very artificial distinction between healthcare and social care into sharp focus and called for greater integration between the two.
- Also on Wednesday, a story in the Guardian focused on concerns that BAME care home residents in England are more likely to die of Covid-19. The story follows CQC data revealing that Covid-19 was responsible for 54% of deaths among black people living in care homes compared with 44% among white people, between 10 April to 15 May 2020. The piece carries a comment from CQC’s Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, Kate Terroni.
- On Thursday, the Independent highlighted comments from Niall Dickson, chief executive of NHS Confederation, criticising CQC’s plans to resume routine inspections and stating that he will seek to work with CQC to make sure the views of providers inform the regulator's future approach. The piece includes a statement from a CQC spokesperson welcoming the opportunity to work with NHS Confed. It also references Professor Ted Baker’s recent interview with the paper in which he said the NHS could not carry on as before and called for urgent investment to support emergency departments ahead of winter.
- On Friday a BBC online story highlighted claims by clinicians working at the Gender Identity Development Service run by Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust that their concerns about child protection and safeguarding were “shut down” and not considered as part of an internal review which published in Spring 2019. The story notes that the review concluded that there were no immediate issues in relation to patient safety yet transcripts of some of the staff interviews conducted as part of the review and leaked to the BBC reveal a number of concerns. The BBC is said to have shared some of the transcripts to the Children's Commissioner for England and contacted CQC
For more information on CQC in the news, please go here.
This update is compiled by the Parliamentary, Government and Stakeholder Engagement team. If you have any queries, would like further information, or if you’d be interested in a presentation on our work, please do not hesitate to contact us:
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Chris Hares, Parliamentary and Stakeholder Engagement Manager.
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Ayesha Carmouche, Senior Parliamentary and Stakeholder Engagement Adviser.
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Mat Hughes, Senior Parliamentary and Stakeholder Engagement Adviser.
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Ellie Southgate, Senior Parliamentary and Stakeholder Engagement Officer.
To add a colleague to the distribution list, please email: Ellie Southgate
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