Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many incidents of abuse or neglect involving care workers sponsored under the Health and Care visa route have been recorded since January 2023, and what steps her Department is taking to ensure robust safeguarding for elderly citizens receiving domiciliary care.

On 29 July, the Prime Minister set out his objectives to reform the social care system, and brought forward the timetable for Baroness Casey’s commission to inform that reform programme. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-sets-out-new-path-to-fix-social-care-together-29-july-2026

As part of its work, the Casey Commission has been considering the best way to provide safeguards against abuse and neglect. In response to its initial recommendations on safeguarding in March, we have set up a new National Adult Safeguarding Board. The board will work to strengthen national accountability for safeguarding and will also look at how data can be used to inform action at local and national level. Further information about the board’s work is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/national-adult-safeguarding-board