Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with providers of care homes in England on the impact of changes in models of care that have resulted in decisions to close care homes.

The Department has engaged with over 200 stakeholders, including providers of care across every region in England. We will continue to engage with providers as social care reform plans are implemented. As part of the reforms, we are aiming to support a range of models of care that will promote personalisation to better meet individuals’ needs.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the care needs of their populations and to develop and build local market capacity. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a temporary duty to ensure continuity of care if a provider fails or exits the market.