News from HLTH Compliance, page 2
CQC and Ofsted compliance, explained
Advice, news and video on regulatory change and best practice for health and social care providers.
News articles, page 2
- News
AI In Healthcare: The Growing Governance Risk Providers Can’t Ignore
Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of everyday healthcare delivery. From automating admin tasks to supporting clinical decision-making, AI tools are being introduced across health and social care rapidly. But while adoption is accelerating, governance, oversight, and regulation are struggling to keep up. This is creating a growing gap that is now drawing attention from
- Advice
CQC Confirms Pilot of New Assessment Frameworks Across Summer and Autumn 2026
At the recent Care Quality Commission Framework Roadshow events, CQC representatives confirmed that elements of the proposed new assessment frameworks will be piloted throughout Summer and Autumn 2026. The pilot activity is expected to begin from June 2026 and will include sampling across different provider sectors and service types. CQC advised that: Providers selected for
- News
HLTH Chat: How Unity Is Changing End-Of-Life Care
In the most recent episode of HLTH Chat, we were joined by two inspiring healthcare professionals who are reshaping what end-of-life care can look like when compassion leads the way. Julie McEvoy, a district nurse and community specialist practitioner, and Ruth Taylor Thomas, a paramedic with the
- News
What the CQC Framework Change Means for Providers
The Care Quality Commission is preparing to make further changes to how health and social care services are assessed, with sector-specific frameworks expected to replace the current Single Assessment Framework over time. These developments follow sector feedback that a single regulatory model does not always reflect the operational differences between service types. For providers, this
- News
Employment Tribunal Awards & Statutory Payments Increase from April 2026. What Do Health & Social Care Providers Need to Know?
From April 2026, a number of key employment law thresholds and statutory payments will increase. While these updates apply across all sectors, they carry particular operational and financial implications for health and social care providers, where workforce size, turnover, and employment risk exposure tend to be higher. At HLTH Compliance, we are already advising providers
- News
Is the Single Assessment Framework on the Way Out? Are KLOEs Making a Comeback?
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has just released a significant regulatory update that may signal one of the most notable shifts in inspection methodology since the introduction of the Single Assessment Framework (SAF) in 2024. For providers who have spent the past two years embedding quality statements, this latest development raises an important, and slightly
- News
ICB Clusters and Mergers: What Primary Care Providers Need to Know
At HLTH Compliance, we support hundreds of primary care providers across the country with governance, CQC compliance and quality assurance. As the NHS continues to evolve at pace, one of the most significant system-level changes currently underway is the restructuring of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). These changes will directly impact how services are commissioned, how
- News
Adult Social Care in England: Key Insights from the Latest DHSC Statistics (February 2026)
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published its latest Adult Social Care Provider Statistics for England, covering data up to February 2026. These official statistics provide valuable insight into the current state of the adult social care sector, including care home occupancy, domiciliary care activity, workforce trends, vaccination rates, visiting arrangements, and
- News
CQC Publishes New Research on Good Practice in Dementia Care
On 10 March 2026, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published a new research report exploring good practice in supporting people living with dementia across health and social care services. The research forms part of the CQC’s wider dementia strategy and was commissioned from IFF Research in partnership with Leeds Beckett University. The report reviews best
- Advice
National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage Increases: What Employers Need to Know for April 2026
From 1 April 2026, new statutory pay rates will come into effect across the UK, increasing both the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and the National Living Wage (NLW). These annual updates are an important compliance requirement for employers and will have direct implications for payroll, workforce planning, and financial forecasting in the 2026/27 financial year.
- News
NICE Publishes First Quality Standard for Rare Diseases
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published its first-ever quality standard focused specifically on rare diseases. The new framework sets out clear expectations for improving the diagnosis, management and treatment of rare conditions across England and Wales. This milestone standard is also the first NICE quality standard developed in partnership with
- Advice
Statutory Pay Increases for April 2026
Further to our update last week on the changes to Statutory Sick Pay, the Government has also confirmed increases to the standard rates of statutory family-related pay, due to take effect from 6 April 2026. These changes will affect all employers and should now be factored into your budgeting for the 2026/27 financial year. Below,
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