This week:-

  🌟 Celebrating Excellence in Care: Newcomer Spotlight 🌟

This week we’re celebrating the Excellence in Care ‘Newcomer’ Award — and last year’s winner, Megan Whitehouse from Portway House, continues to inspire. Portway House is known for its culture of compassion and teamwork, perfectly captured by Care Home Manager Faye Gailey, who shared: “Everyone has each other’s back… it’s about asking, ‘How can we make this better?’”

Megan, who joined the sector with no prior care experience, embraced that ethos wholeheartedly. She brought her life experience, empathy and determination into her role — and it showed. Winning the award was deeply meaningful for her, especially as her nan had once been a resident at the home. As Megan said, “It was such an honour… I’m very, very grateful.”

From all of us at WMCA, congratulations again to Megan — a shining example of what a newcomer can achieve.

🗳️  Have Your Say on New T‑Levels for Social Care

The Department for Education is consulting on the proposed content for new T‑Levels in Sport and Social Care, and care providers are being invited to help shape what future learners will be taught. These qualifications will influence the skills and knowledge young people bring into the sector, so your frontline insight is vital.

You can review the proposals and share your feedback here:

👉 Take part in the consultation

Your voice will help ensure the curriculum reflects real‑world care, person‑ centred practice, and the needs of today’s workforce.

📢 Have Your Say: Zero Hours Contracts Consultation

The Government has launched a consultation on Ending One‑Sided Flexibility in zero hours and similar contracts. This forms part of the Plan to Make Work Pay , aimed at creating a fairer labour market with better protection and stability for workers — including those in social care.

The consultation seeks views on how to introduce new rights to:

• Guaranteed hours

• Reasonable notice of shifts

• Payment for cancelled or changed shifts

The consultation closes 25 August 2026 at 11:59pm.

To help you understand the proposals and respond confidently, the Government has released a webinar explaining the new rights and the options being considered.

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