Adult Social Care
Sally Warren becomes permanent director general for adult social care
The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that Sally Warren will be the permanent director general for adult social care. https://www.carehomeprofessional.com/sally-warren-adult-social-care-dr-gen/
Sally Warren has held the position on an interim basis since July after Michelle Dyson stepped down from the post.
Prior to the appointment, Warren had been working as director general for the NHS 10-year health plan, leading the engagement and policy development process.
She has also held the position of director of policy at The King’s Fund and has 20 years of experience in the Civil Service.
In the Civil Service, she worked as director of EU exit preparedness and response and director of food for Defra, director of social care for the Cabinet Office, director of programmes for Public Health England, and director of social care for the Department of Health.
Warren also previously served as deputy chief inspector of the Care Quality Commission.
In her director role, she will be working on taking forward work on fair pay agreements, overseeing the Casey Commission, and supporting councils and providers.
Government recruits advisers for councils with poor social care services
The Department of Health and Social Care is recruiting advisers for councils struggling with adult social care services. https://www.carehomeprofessional.com/advisers-monitor-councils-social-care/
The DHSC says it is looking for social care sector leaders to represent to step into the role of improvement advisers or commissioners and work with authorities to improve services.
This would form a non-statutory intervention model to offer support and monitoring and tackle poor performance or any serious or persistent failures in councils adults services.
It is likely the focus will first be on local authorities rated inadequate by the CQC.
Advisers would work up to two days a week to provide “support, guidance and challenge to the authority to develop and deliver a robust improvement plan.”
All advisors would then report back to the DHSC on any progress.
Councils receiving the support will either be removed from the scheme, if they make significant progress, or be forced to undergo a statutory intervention if failings are more serious.
The DHSC says it is on the lookout for candidates with a “demonstrable track record of leading, motivating and managing teams to achieve sustainable service improvements across multiple service areas in the context of growing demand and increasingly constrained resources.”
Candidates must have worked as a local authority chief executive, director of adult social services, or a similar senior role.
A similar model already exists in children’s social care services.
Later Life Support
Almost two thirds of mid-retirees unprepared for managing finances in later life
Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of mid-retirees haven’t discussed with family and friends who would manage their finances if they became unable to do so, according to research by Aviva and Age UK, highlighting a gap in support and guidance for mid-retirees during retirement. https://www.pensionsage.com/pa/almost-two-thirds-mid-retirees-unprepared-for-managing-finances-in-later-life.php
The report Retirement Reality: Managing Money in Mid-Retirement, which surveyed 1,000 mid-retirees (aged 65-75) who have a private pension, are on a moderate retirement income, and have not taken financial advice, found that 81 per cent of respondents don’t have a lasting power of attorney in place.
In addition to this, 39 per cent have not yet considered how they will manage their finances as they age, particularly into their 80s or 90s.
The research also showed that many people are not well-informed about their partner’s pension, as 36 per cent said they know all the details of their partner’s pension.
Meanwhile, 84 per cent of respondents who are part of a couple have not checked if they are nominated as a beneficiary to their partner’s pension.
Vulnerability
Smarter Contracts partners to pilot national ‘Vulnerability Passport’
Smarter Contracts, a finalist in the Department for Business and Trade’s Smart Data Challenge, has partnered with the Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS) to pilot a national “Vulnerability Passport” that allows vulnerable individuals to verify their status once and share it across any organisation. https://www.openbankingexpo.com/news/smarter-contracts-partners-to-pilot-national-vulnerability-passport/
Millions of vulnerable customers must repeatedly prove their vulnerability status – telling their bank, then their energy supplier, then their telecom provider. Each time reliving difficult circumstances. As Smart Data expands beyond Open Banking, there is evidence to show this friction will intensify. The Vulnerability Passport is designed to eliminate this friction, allowing vulnerable people to verify once and share across any organisation in just a few clicks.
FCA identifies repeated disclosure as critical barrier
The FCA’s March 2025 review of vulnerable customer treatment identified repeated disclosure as a critical barrier. Only 42% of vulnerable customers have disclosed to firms, with 37% citing embarrassment.
The regulator praised firms using centralised systems within their organisations to ensure individuals don’t have to repeat disclosures across departments, but these systems cannot be shared across organisational boundaries. A bank’s system doesn’t talk to an energy supplier’s system or a telecom provider’s system. As such, when vulnerable individuals need support across multiple sectors, they must re-disclose to each one separately.
The Vulnerability Passport eliminates this by making verified vulnerability status portable across all organisations.
“VRS exists to support vulnerable people, and we hear the same frustration: Why do I have to keep explaining my situation?” said Helen Lord, chief executive officer of VRS.
“A person dealing with cancer tells their bank. Then their energy supplier. Then their council. Each time reliving difficult circumstances.
“We’ve built trust and verification but never solved portability – until now. For organisations, this means providing appropriate support from first contact. That’s what Consumer Duty requires. That’s what vulnerable people deserve.”