Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what extent they have taken into account changes in (1) the number of social care bed spaces provided, and (2) local demand for social care bed spaces, in determining the requirements for adult social care provision throughout England.

Residential care is largely provided by an independent sector of care homes and nursing homes who respond to local demand.

The Care Act 2014 placed duties on local authorities to facilitate local markets, articulating likely changes to supply and demand in a Market Position Statement (or equivalent) and engaging with local providers to encourage a local pool of provider organisations that allows people a choice of quality organisations.

Local authorities are best placed to understand the changing needs of their citizens and communities. The Department supports local authorities in meeting their market shaping duties when commissioning services and provides further support and guidance through sector-led improvement programmes.

The Department has worked with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Local Government Association, the care sector and other partners to produce a wide range of guidance and support about market shaping and commissioning. We have brought this together in an online hub called Adult Social Care Market Shaping, which is an online only resource, widely available to people and organisations, including local authorities, service users, and care providers.