Welcome to our latest healthcare, digital health and life sciences bulletin, which addresses key legal and regulatory issues and evolving areas of law affecting healthcare, digital health and/or life sciences businesses.
This quarter, our experts from across the firm give an overview of the recent review into the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) operational effectiveness, also highlighting the potential impact on mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare sector. As the Employment Rights Bill is expected to significantly reshape the employment landscape, we advise what measures employers in the healthcare sector can take to prepare.
As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow across many sectors, we explore the impact and the key risks of using the tool within healthcare. We also investigate the commercial landlord's and tenant's perspective regarding the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in hospitals and other buildings.
In July 2024, Health Secretary Wes Streeting declared the CQC ‘not fit for purpose’. His statement followed the publication of a critical interim report into the CQCs operational effectiveness, led by Dr Penny Dash.
This article summarises the findings from the final report published on 15 October, with a particular focus on the criticisms of the CQC’s single assessment framework and the need for reform.
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According to government statistics, as of 3 October 2024 there are 47 hospital sites with confirmed RAAC in the rolling national programme, which has been in place since 2021.
RAAC is however also a major concern in the wider health and care sector generally, public and private. Statistically, the substantial majority of health and care properties in this country are leased, with licences commonplace too. In this feature we consider RAAC from both a landlord’s and also a tenant's perspective.
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A recent review led by Dr Penny Dash, detailing the outcome of a review into the CQC's operational effectiveness, uncovers multiple shortcomings that undermine the CQC's ability to effectively regulate health and adult social care services in England.
In this article, we look at Dr Dash's findings on CQC inspection frequency and consider the potential impact that inspection delays can have on mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare sector.
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AI is not new, but we have seen a huge growth in use cases in recent years and it's now changing the way that many sectors operate. This article explores the impact of AI on the healthcare sector and the key risks of using AI within healthcare.
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The Employment Rights Bill introduced last week by the newly elected Labour government, stands to have a profound impact on employers. The bill, with its ambitious array of reforms, will significantly reshape the employment landscape.
In this article, we highlight the key provisions of the Employment Rights Bill and advise what measures employers in the healthcare sector can take in preparation.
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Ashfords is sponsoring the equity investors category at this year’s HealthInvestor Power List awards, which recognise the most influential leaders in the UK healthcare sector.
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