Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to increase oversight of recruitment practices in domiciliary care agencies.

Most domiciliary care agencies are private sector providers and therefore their recruitment practises are independent of central Government.

The Department works closely with regulators, local authorities, other Government departments, and enforcement bodies to share concerns and intelligence about, and where appropriate take action against, illegal or unethical recruitment practices in adult social care.

Regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 states that providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) must deploy “sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff to enable them to meet the needs of the people using the service at all times”. Additionally, Regulation 19 compels providers regulated by the CQC to make sure that they only employ “fit and proper” staff who are able to provide care and treatment appropriate to their role. To meet this regulation, providers must operate robust recruitment procedures, including undertaking any relevant checks.