The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published the response to the supplementary consultation on disbursements within the fixed recoverable costs regime for clinical negligence claims up to a value of £25,000 in England and Wales. The outcome covers a range of areas including expert report fees and ‘after the event’ insurance premiums, Lower Damages Clinical Negligence Fixed Recoverable Cost scheme claims involving protected parties or children and the proposed next steps of the government.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published the government’s response to the House of Lords committee’s report titled, 'Patients at the centre: integrating primary and community care'. The response has welcomed the committee’s recommendations and addresses recommendations concerning structure and organisation, contract and funding, system and data sharing and, lastly, workforce and training. The DHSC has said that it will continue to monitor progress of integrated care systems (ICSs) through collaboration with organisations including the NHS and Care Quality Commission, and has emphasised progress of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. The government’s response also highlights continued support for better integration of health and care.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published a post-implementation review of Regulation 9A, the Care Quality Commission fundamental standard on visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices, which came into force in April 2024. The review, conducted one year after implementation, found mixed views on its effectiveness, with 31% of individuals reporting that they had experienced restrictions to visiting or accompanying since it came into force. It identifies gaps including inconsistent awareness and understanding of the regulation, variation in decision-making processes and weaknesses in monitoring and enforcement. DHSC has committed to addressing these issues through improvements to Capacity Tracker data collection, targeted communications and awareness resources, enhanced staff training materials and closer collaboration with the Care Quality Commission. The department will also explore potential legislative changes to strengthen visiting rights, promote family and carers as equal partners in care, when parliamentary time allows.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published its statutory five-year report on the operation of the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 (MMDA 2021), concluding that while the UK’s legislative frameworks for human medicines, veterinary medicines and medical devices remain effective and protective of public and animal health, aspects of the legislation would benefit from consolidation, restructuring and reform of the delegated powers and procedural requirements governing how regulations are made and amended.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has released a summary of responses to its call for evidence on proposed changes to section 75 of the NHS Act 2006. The consultation, which ran from 15 September to 31 October 2023, sought views on increasing the use of pooled budgets to support the integration of health and social care. The department received 91 online survey responses and 14 written submissions. While the findings are not necessarily representative of or endorsed by DHSC, they will inform the next steps in the review of section 75 arrangements. The summary report, published on 3 December 2024, provides an overview of the feedback received and will guide future policy decisions in this area.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published the terms of reference and explanatory note in relation to the Lampard Inquiry. The Lampard Inquiry, formerly known as the Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry, intends to examine the circumstances around the deaths of mental health inpatients in Essex between 2000 and 2023. The terms of reference were set following a public consultation in November 2023 and consultation with the inquiry chair, Baroness Lampard. The inquiry aims to consider the seriousness of the failings related to delivery of treatment and care; actions, practices and behaviours of staff; the culture and governance of NHS Trusts in Essex and the affect on care and treatment; the quality of investigations and responses and the interaction between NHS Trusts in Essex and other public bodies.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published an August 2025 update on its programme to transform the UK clinical research system. Released on 4 August 2025, the policy paper outlines progress on implementing the Lord O’Shaughnessy review of commercial clinical trials and sets out further reforms under the UK Clinical Research Delivery (UKCRD) programme. These reforms aim to streamline trial set-up, improve data access, and reinforce the UK’s position as a global leader in life sciences. The programme is aligned with the government’s broader health and growth missions, including the 10 Year Health Plan, the Plan for Change, and the Life Sciences Sector Plan.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published an updated Women's Health Strategy for England. The strategy introduces a trial programme that will link women's feedback directly to provider funding and targeted service improvements, aiming to ensure providers are held accountable for listening to women. It also includes plans to establish single points of referral for women's healthcare services and to develop new care standards to ensure appropriate and effective pain relief during invasive gynaecological procedures. Further reforms include commitments to: (1) redesign clinical pathways for heavy menstrual bleeding, urogynaecology and menopause; (2) launch a £1 million programme to improve menstrual education; (3) launch a £1.5 million Femtech challenge fund to accelerate healthcare innovation; (4) fund specialist regional centres to support group-based care approaches; (5) establish a women's voices partnership to inform policy development and (6) improve access to contraceptive and abortion services. The measures are supported by £26 billion in NHS funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) released a set of guardianship forms (G1 to G10) for use under the Mental Health Act 1983. These forms are designed for the process of placing individuals under guardianship or managing patients subject to guardianship orders in England. The forms comply with the Mental Health (Hospital, Guardianship and Treatment) (England) Regulations 2008, SI 2008/1184, and cover various aspects of guardianship, including applications, medical recommendations, transfers and renewals.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has released a document for adult social care providers on the possibility of their employing overseas workers whose previous employer’s sponsor licence has been revoked.  The document notes rising ethical concerns over international recruitment in the adult social care sector as a number of providers have been found exploiting international recruits, leading to the revocation of their licenses. The document highlights that displaced workers, now in need of new employers, offer a valuable pool of talent for ethical providers seeking to address workforce gaps. The document urges social care employers to consider these workers, with the process for obtaining sponsorship (both licences and Certificates of Sponsorship) expedited free of charge. It contains a list of regional leads for social care providers to contact, if they do have vacancies. A best practice toolkit developed with Skills for Care is available to guide employers in ensuring ethical recruitment in line with the Code of Practice.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published a summary of the 2024 annual report on the code on genetic testing and insurance. There has been a running agreement in place since 2001. It explains what an insurance company does and does not need to know about the genetic testing you may have had when you apply for insurance. The Code, published in October 2018, is the sixth iteration of a long-standing agreement – previously called the Concordat and Moratorium on Genetics and Insurance - launched in 2001, between the Association of British Insurer (ABI) and the Government on how insurers use genetic information.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has reported that government action will be taken to restore public confidence in the effectiveness of health and social care regulation after significant failings of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) were found in an independent report. The government and the CQC intend to take four immediate steps including appointing Professor Sir Mike Richards to review CQC assessment frameworks, improving the transparency of how the CQC determines its ratings for health and social care providers, increasing government oversight of the CQC and asking Dr Penny Dash to review the effectiveness of all patient safety organisations.