Legislation – Health and Social Care (Wales) Act 2025

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Introduction

PART 1
SOCIAL CARE

CHAPTER 1 PROVISION OF SOCIAL CARE SERVICES TO CHILDREN: RESTRICTIONS ON PROFIT

Overview of Chapter

1 Overview of Chapter 1

Regulation of social care services provided to children

2 Restricted children’s services

3 Applications for registration in respect of restricted children’s services

4 Registration in respect of a restricted children’s service: transitional arrangements

5 Grant or refusal of registration in respect of a restricted children’s service

6 Fit and proper person: relevant considerations

7 Providers of restricted children’s services: information contained in annual return

8 Variation or cancellation of registration as a provider of a restricted children’s service

9 Restricted children’s services: information contained in the register of service providers

Local authority functions in respect of accommodation for looked after children

10 Local authority duty to secure sufficient accommodation

11 Duty to prepare and publish an annual sufficiency plan

12 Duty to secure accommodation: reporting

13 Ways in which looked after children are to be accommodated

CHAPTER 2 MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS IN RELATION TO SOCIAL CARE SERVICES, SOCIAL CARE WORKERS AND LOCAL AUTHORITY SOCIAL CARE FUNCTIONS

Regulation of social care services: registration etc. of social care services providers

14 Duty to submit and publish annual return

15 Application for cancellation of service provider’s registration: information to be provided

16 Cancellation and variation of service provider’s registration without application: notice procedures

Regulation of social care services: information, inspections and investigations

17 Information, inspection and investigations

Social care workers: registration and fitness to practise

18 Meaning of social care worker: childcare workers

19 Fitness to practise cases: powers to extend interim orders

Local authority social services functions

20 Direct payments in social care

21 Accommodation of children

Minor and consequential amendments

22 Social care: minor and consequential amendments

PART 2
HEALTH CARE

23 Overview of Part 2

24 Direct payments for health care

25 Direct payments for health care: minor and consequential amendments

26 Provision of health services by local authorities

PART 3
GENERAL

27 General interpretation

28 Consequential and transitional provision etc.

29 Coming into force

30 Short title

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 SOCIAL CARE: MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS

SCHEDULE 2 DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR HEALTH CARE: MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS

SCHEDULE 2DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR HEALTH CARE: MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS

Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2019 (anaw 3)

6

(1)

The Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2019 is amended as follows.

(2)

In section 1(5)—

(a)

in paragraph (a), for “and palliative care providers” substitute “, palliative care providers and direct payment service providers”;

(b)

in paragraph (b), for “and palliative care” substitute “, palliative care and direct payment services”;

(c)

in paragraph (c), for “the social care and palliative care matters” substitute “the matters relating to social care, palliative care and direct payment services”;

(d)

in paragraph (d), for “and palliative care” substitute “, palliative care and direct payment services”;

(e)

in paragraph (e), for “and palliative care” substitute “, palliative care and direct payment services”.

(3)

In the heading of Part 5, for “and palliative care” substitute “, palliative care and direct payment services”.

(4)

In section 42—

(a)

in subsection (1), after paragraph (c) insert—

“(d)

action taken by a direct payment service provider in connection with the provision of direct payment services.”;

(b)

in subsection (6)—

(i)

for “64” substitute “64A”;

(ii)

in the appropriate places insert—

““direct payment service” (“gwasanaeth taliadau uniongyrchol”);”;

““direct payment service provider” (“darparwr gwasanaeth taliadau uniongyrchol);”.

(5)

In section 47(2)—

(a)

at the end of paragraph (c) omit “or”;

(b)

after “a listed authority” insert “, or

(e)

a direct payment service provider.”

(6)

After section 64 insert—

“64AMeaning of “direct payment service” and “direct payment service provider”

(1)

This section applies for the purposes of this Act.

(2)

Direct payment service” means a service provided in Wales or in England in respect of which direct payments have been made under section 10B(1), or under regulations made under section 10B(6), of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 (c. 42).

(3)

Direct payment service provider” means a person who provides direct payment services but does not include an individual who—

(a)

carries on an activity that involves the provision of domiciliary care in Wales or in England in respect of which direct payments have been made under section 10B(1), or under regulations made under section 10B(6), of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006,

(b)

carries on the activity otherwise than in partnership with others,

(c)

is not employed by a body corporate or unincorporated association to carry it on,

(d)

does not employ any other person to carry out the activity, and

(e)

provides or arranges the provision of domiciliary care to fewer than four people.

(4)

Action is to be treated as action taken by a direct payment service provider if it is taken by—

(a)

a person employed by that provider,

(b)

a person acting on behalf of that provider, or

(c)

a person to whom that provider has delegated any functions.

(5)

Action is also to be treated as action taken by a direct payment service provider if—

(a)

that provider provides direct payment services by means of an arrangement with another person, and

(b)

the action is taken by or on behalf of the other person in carrying out the arrangement.”

(7)

In section 71(1)(d)(i), for “or independent palliative care provider” substitute “, independent palliative care provider or direct payment service provider”.

(8)

In section 78(1), in the appropriate places insert—

““direct payment service” (“gwasanaeth taliadau uniongyrchol”) has the meaning given by section 64A(2);”

““direct payment service provider” (“darparwr gwasanaeth taliadau uniongyrchol) has the meaning given by section 64A(3);”.

(9)

In section 79—

(a)

after subsection (1)(f) insert—

“(g)

former direct payment service providers.”;

(b)

after subsection (7) insert—

“(7A)

Former direct payment service provider” means a person who—

(a)

at the relevant time, provided direct payment services of a particular description, and

(b)

subsequently ceased to do so (whether or not the person has later started to do so again).”

(10)

In Schedule 1—

(a)

in paragraph 6(1)(f) for “or independent palliative care provider;” substitute “, independent palliative care provider or direct payment service provider;”;

(b)

in paragraph 15(7)(a) for “or independent palliative care provider” substitute “, independent palliative care provider or direct payment service provider”.