Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the quality and quantity of adult social care data; and whether he plans to collect data on (a) numbers and characteristics of people accessing care and support, (b) care outcomes and (c) market conditions.

The ‘People at the Heart of Care’ white paper and ‘Data saves lives: reshaping health and social care with data’, published in June 2022, set out how we will improve adult social care data. This includes the collection of pseudonymised client-level data from local authorities to ensure that the Government, local authorities and those providing care have regular and comprehensive data to enable person-centred care. The Health and Care Act 2022 provides powers to require data from regulated adult social care providers, which will improve our understanding of those accessing care and support, care outcomes and market conditions.