The Department of Health and Social Care’s consultation on Fair Pay Agreements in Adult Social Care sought views on the proposed Adult Social Care Negotiating Body (ASCNB), which would bring together employer and worker representatives to negotiate pay, terms and conditions across the adult social care sector.

The BHTA actively encouraged members to engage with the consultation, ensuring the views of healthcare suppliers and community equipment service providers were represented. Member feedback informed the Association’s response, which highlighted the need for greater clarity on which roles would fall within the scope of the proposed framework, particularly within community equipment services, as well as the importance of practical guidance and support to help employers implement any future changes.

Download the relevant documents:

Click HERE to download the consultation document.

Click HERE to download the BHTA response to this consultation.

This consultation sought views on proposed regulations and guidance to strengthen action against modern slavery in NHS procurement. Building on the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Health and Care Act 2022, the proposals introduced new legal duties for public bodies procuring goods and services for the NHS to assess and address risks of modern slavery in their supply chains.

For BHTA members, the proposals highlighted increased expectations around supply chain due diligence, transparency and compliance, particularly for suppliers working with NHS organisations. The measures aimed to ensure that NHS procurement activities are free from unethical labour practices, while aligning with wider government policy on tackling modern slavery.

The consultation also outlined how these duties would be supported by national guidance and applied across public sector procurement in England. The BHTA encouraged members to consider the potential operational and reporting implications for their organisations.

Download the relevant documents:

Click HERE to download the consultation document.

Click HERE to download the BHTA response to this consultation.

This consultation sought views on the potential introduction of new secondary legislation requiring manufacturers and suppliers of medicines, medical devices and borderline products to report payments and other benefits provided to healthcare professionals and organisations.

For BHTA members, the proposals signalled a significant shift towards increased transparency obligations across the health sector, with potential implications for reporting requirements, administrative burden and commercial relationships. The measures aimed to address concerns around real and perceived conflicts of interest, as highlighted in the IMMDS review, and to strengthen patient trust and confidence in clinical decision-making.

The consultation also considered how transparency could be improved while minimising impact on industry. The BHTA encouraged members to review the proposals and consider the potential operational and compliance implications for their organisations.

Download the relevant documents:

Click HERE to download the consultation document.

Click HERE to download the BHTA response to this consultation.

This consultation sought views on how professions are brought into, or removed from, statutory regulation of health and social care professionals across the UK. The aim of regulation is to protect the public from harm, ensuring that any regulatory approach is proportionate and effective.

The government proposed additional powers under the Health and Care Bill to enable greater flexibility, including the ability to remove professions from regulation, close regulators, delegate functions more freely, and extend regulation to new groups such as senior NHS leaders. The consultation explored the criteria that should be used to assess whether professions should be regulated in the future.

At the time, there were no plans to significantly change the current balance of regulated professions, which was considered appropriate for managing risk without placing unnecessary burdens on the workforce. The consultation formed part of a wider programme of regulatory reform aimed at simplifying the system, improving consistency, and strengthening public protection, including a review into whether the number of professional regulators could be reduced to improve efficiency.

Download the relevant documents:

Click HERE to download the consultation document.

Click HERE to download the BHTA response to this consultation.

The Department of Health and Social Care’s supplementary consultation on the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) sought views on proposals to replace existing healthcare procurement rules with a more flexible framework focused on collaboration, integration and patient outcomes. The proposed regime would govern how NHS bodies, integrated care boards, local authorities and NHS trusts arrange healthcare services, reducing reliance on competitive tendering while maintaining transparency, proportionality and accountability in provider selection decisions.

In its response, the BHTA broadly supported the objectives of the Provider Selection Regime, particularly efforts to improve clarity, reduce unnecessary procurement burdens and support integrated care delivery. The Association highlighted the importance of clear definitions and reference points, including the use of Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) codes to define service scope, and advocated for the inclusion of services such as wheelchair, community equipment and continence provision. The response also raised concerns about proposed thresholds for contract changes potentially disadvantaging SMEs and innovative providers, while emphasising the need for fair market access, transparency and continued opportunities for specialist healthcare suppliers.

Download the relevant documentation:

Click HERE to download the consultation – document 1

Click HERE to download the consultation – document 2

Click HERE to download the consultation – document 3

Click HERE to download the BHTA response to this consultation.