03 Jun 26

The 16th NHS Strike: What System Pressure Means for Care Providers Bidding in 2026

On Wednesday 27 May 2026, the British Medical Association announced that resident doctors in England will strike from 7am on 15 June to 7am on 19 June. It will be the sixteenth round of industrial action by resident doctors since the dispute began in March 2023. Three rounds of five-day…

02 Jun 26

Hackney’s Emergency Accommodation DPS: What Local Hotels, B&Bs and Guest Houses Need to Know

The London Borough of Hackney has opened a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for emergency accommodation, and it’s open to local hotels, B&Bs and guest houses. The Council wants to stop spot purchasing rooms at standard commercial rates. Instead, it’s looking for accommodation providers to come on board through a contract,…

01 Jun 26

Designing a Carer-Aware Service: A Practical Operating Model for UK Care Providers

Most UK care services were designed around the person receiving care. The care plan describes their needs, their preferences, their goals. The risk assessment covers their environment. The reviews track their progress. The staff training prepares the workforce to support them. What sits around the person, including the husband who…

30 May 26

Subcontracting in UK Care Contracts: What Providers Need to Know Before They Sign in 2026

Subcontracting in UK health and social care contracts is one of those topics that sits quietly in the contract pack until something goes wrong. Most providers signing prime contracts give the subcontracting clauses a careful first read, mark them as standard, and move on. The subcontracting language reads the same…

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28 May 26

East Sussex County Council’s Approved List for Supported Living Services for Working Age Adults

East Sussex County Council’s Adult Social Care Department has reopened applications to its Approved List for Supported Living Services for Working Age Adults. The Council is inviting providers to join the existing Approved List for the remainder of its current lifetime, with applications closing on 11 June 2026 at 06:00.…

25 May 26

The National Procurement Policy Statement at 15 Months: What UK Suppliers Are Learning About How It Actually Scores

The National Procurement Policy Statement landed on 24 February 2025, alongside the Procurement Act 2023 coming fully into force. At the time, the commentary from the trade press was muted. The Fieldfisher analysis called it “somewhat underwhelming, covering largely predictable and well-trodden themes such as value for money, encouragement for…

22 May 26

Ofsted’s 2026 Updates to ILACS and SCCIF: A Practical Guide for Children’s Social Care Providers

The week Ofsted published the updated framework for inspecting local authority children’s services, attention was elsewhere. The schools sector was absorbing the report card rollout. The Welsh not-for-profit reforms had landed three weeks earlier. The Casey Commission was building toward Phase 1. The Ofsted announcement on 20 March 2026, confirming…

21 May 26

Pension Age Disability Payment: What Scottish Care Providers Need to Know in 2026

Pension Age Disability Payment has been the largest cash transfer of Scotland’s devolved welfare programme so far. Between its launch on 21 October 2024 and the end of January 2026, Social Security Scotland issued around £358.1 million in payments to 175,750 individuals through more than a million separate payments. The…

20 May 26

Top Mistakes to Avoid When Selecting Bid Support Services

The decision to bring in external bid support is one of the most consequential procurement decisions a UK supplier makes in any given year. A strong consultancy lifts win rates measurably, brings sector-specific evaluator knowledge the in-house team cannot replicate, and protects strong content through compliance gates that derail otherwise…

19 May 26

Birmingham City Council’s P2269 Open Framework for Temporary Accommodation: A Three-Year Route to Market for Private Sector Landlords and Registered Providers

Birmingham City Council has opened P2269, an Open Framework for the provision of temporary accommodation through the private rented sector and private registered providers of social housing. The framework runs for three years from award, with an option to extend by a further two years in yearly increments. Unlike a…

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