Source: Care Quality Commission (CQC) published on this website Monday 9 2026 by Jill Powell

An Invitation from the CQC

Dear colleagues, 

We're excited to invite you to express your interest in joining our upcoming assessment framework engagement events taking place around the country this spring.

Led by our Chief Inspectors, these all-day‑ events will bring together a diverse mix of attendees including providers, strategic stakeholders, organisations representing people who use services, and CQC colleagues.

What to expect

These sessions mark the next stage in the development of our assessment frameworks and methodology. They're designed not only to share our progress but also to continue shaping this work collaboratively with those who will use and be impacted by it.

We'll be asking for feedback on our 4 draft frameworks. Specifically, we're asking for views on whether the sector-specific frameworks will:

• guide CQC in making clearer, more transparent judgements about quality
• help providers to improve the quality of care they deliver
• align well with other regulatory or quality standards that providers use
• help to highlight the issue of inequalities in care
• reflect the range of services and sectors that we regulate across health and adult social care.

These sessions are cross sector but there will be sector specific elements throughout the day.

Why attend?

• Build stronger relationships: meet with some of your local inspectors and explore how you can work together to navigate the new frameworks smoothly and confidently.
• Expand your network: connect with other providers, exchange experiences, and share best practice insights in a supportive, collaborative environment.

Event dates and locations

Please note these will be all day events, starting at 10.30am and finishing at 4pm.

• Manchester | Tuesday 14 April
• Birmingham | Wednesday 22 April
• London | Tuesday 12 May
• Online session | Wednesday 6 May (for those unable to attend in person)

How to express your interest in attending

At this stage, we're collecting expressions of interest only. You will be notified by Tuesday 24 March if your place is confirmed.

👉 Please complete this form before Friday 20 March.  

We hope you'll join us to help shape the future of our assessment approach. Your insights and experiences are vital to ensuring our frameworks work effectively for everyone.

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch. 

Source: Merseyside Police published on this website Thursday 5 March 2026 by Jill Powell

A man who was in the middle of his driving test in St Helens was stopped by officers and arrested for drug driving.

At around 5pm Sunday 1 March, officers on patrol in the area stopped a vehicle on King Street after spotting that a brake light wasn’t working.

Officers could smell cannabis when speaking to the driver, who was on his driving test, and he subsequently failed a drugs wipe. He was also found to be in possession of cannabis.

A 26-year-old man from Wigan was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and taken into police custody. He has since been released under investigation.

Roads Policing Inspector Simon Wilson said: “Officers rightly pulled over the car after noticing that a brake light wasn’t working, which is dangerous not only for the occupants of the vehicle but also other road users.

“After speaking to the driver, it was clear that there was much more for officers to be concerned with and he was arrested on suspicion of drug driving.

“Although some people may find the humour in the fact someone on a driving test was arrested, drug driving is no laughing matter. It is incredibly dangerous and selfish to get behind the wheel of a vehicle under the influence of drugs and it’s an offence we take seriously at Merseyside Police.

“Every year we run Operation Limit, which is a nation-wide initiative which aims to tackle drink and drug driving across the festive period. However, we are determined to improve road safety all year round and work continues to crackdown on selfish drivers who pose a risk to themselves and others.

“Our stance on illegal substances is clear: nobody should be taking them. But even if you choose to break the law and take illegal drugs, that does not give you the right to endanger the lives of innocent people on the roads who have no way of knowing you are driving intoxicated.”

If you suspect someone is currently driving under the influence, call 999 immediately. For non-urgent information, call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously 

Source: Department for Education published on this website Friday 6 March 2026 by Jill Powell

Life-saving allergy pens must be stocked by schools for the first time under new plans announced 5 March 2026.

The move will also see compulsory training for teachers and a requirement for each school to have a dedicated allergy policy.

As well as saving lives, the new measures will help children stay in school, with 500,000 days of learning lost due to allergy-related illness or medical appointments in the last year alone.

The plans come after the government listened to families and campaigners who have fought for change — including Helen Blythe, mother of Benedict Blythe, who tragically lost his life to an allergic reaction at school, and the National Allergy Strategy Group.

Replacing previous non-statutory advice, the consultation on the new guidance on supporting children and young people with medical conditions and allergies is now open, ahead of coming into force in September 2026.

The new statutory requirements mean for the first time schools must:

• stock “spare” adrenaline auto-injectors for use in emergency situations
• provide allergy awareness training for all staff — covering recognition of symptoms, emergency response and the use of adrenaline devices — alongside improved incident recording and lessons learnt processes
• have a comprehensive policy for supporting children with medical conditions, including Individual Healthcare Plans to record specific arrangements for individuals like an allergy management plan

Schools up and down the country are already undertaking the necessary training to keep children safe. This guidance will standardise practise, pointing to a collection of reliable resources for teachers to use, and work in parallel to the government’s open call to businesses to support with costs such as adrenaline auto-injectors.

Olivia Bailey, Minister for Early Education said:

“No parent should have to send their child to school worried that a life-threatening allergic reaction won’t be handled swiftly. We have listened to the families and organisations who have campaigned tirelessly on this issue, and we are acting. These new requirements will give parents the confidence that every school has the training, the plans and the equipment in place to keep their child safe.”

This works hand in hand with wider work to reform the school food system, such as revising the school food standards and expanding free school meals to an additional 500,000 children this September.

Wider changes to the guidance include new condition-specific content covering a range of common and significant conditions. As epilepsy is one of the most common long-term conditions for children, Individual Healthcare Plans should cover seizure types and what to do in an emergency. And as type 1 and 2 diabetes cases in children are rising, schools must support children and young people to use continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps — including via mobile phone apps.

When health and education work together like this, it can make a real, lasting difference for children and their families.

Helen Blythe and Peter Blythe, parents of Benedict Blythe and founders of the Benedict Blythe Foundation, said:

“For 4 years, we have campaigned for Benedict’s Law so that no child faces the preventable gaps in allergy safety that cost our 5-year-old son his life.

“We are grateful the government has listened, and that from September schools will be required to have allergy pens, training and policies in place — protections that were not there when Benedict joined his school.

“Knowing that future children will enter a system far safer than the one he did is a powerful and lasting legacy for our son Benedict.”

Source: Kent Police published on this website Wednesday 4 March 2026 by Jill Powell

A delivery driver who sexually assaulted two women at their Maidstone homes has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

On 26 June 2025, Shafiullah Rasooli delivered food to a woman who had ordered it online. As she opened the door, he made inappropriate remarks before stepping into the property and sexually assaulting her.

He left the address and then returned to commit a further sexual offence, before taking her phone to enter his contact details. Over the following days, Rasooli made multiple calls to the victim’s phone, causing her considerable distress.

A week later, on 3 July, Rasooli made a further delivery to another woman. He made indecent comments to the victim and asked about her relationship status before sexually assaulting her.

Both women reported the incidents to Kent Police and an investigation was launched.

Investigators reviewed CCTV in the area to identify Rasooli’s vehicle. This, accompanied by screenshots of the victims’ orders and the contact details he had left with one of the victims’ phones, assisted officers to track him down.

The 29 year old of St Peter’s Street, Maidstone, was later charged with three counts of sexual assault. He denied the offences and was convicted following a trial at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court.

On Wednesday 25 February 2026, Rasooli, an Afghan national, was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court to two and a half years’ imprisonment. He was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Matthew Kerr said:
“Rasooli took advantage of his job to prey on the two vulnerable victims who had simply ordered food. His actions made them feel unsafe and violated in their own homes and he arrogantly thought he could get away with it.
“However, a prompt investigation led to his arrest and he is now serving a prison sentence.
“I would like to commend both victims for courageously reporting these crimes and then assisting us throughout the subsequent trial. I hope they can find some closure knowing their actions have protected other potential victims from harm.”