WEBINAR: RSH consumer regulation unpacked

The RSH’s new consumer standards bring the introduction of major changes to the regulatory environment for registered providers from 1 April 2024. In this webinar, we will cover the key changes and implications which are being set out, as well as the likely impact for registered providers on their regulatory arrangements.

Who should attend?

This session is designed for CEOs, executive directors, company secretaries, and heads of governance.

Speakers

Peter Hubbard, managing partner

Victoria Jardine, partner

Sarah Patrice, partner

WEBINAR: ACsess Governance Club - Conduct and competency consultation

The Government has commenced its consultation on the new Competence and Conduct Standard and mandatory qualifications for housing managers, which has put some much-needed flesh on the bones of the undetailed training requirements that were trailed in The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.

The long-awaited consultation which was launched on 6 February 2024 is now open until 2 April 2024 and we are encouraging all of our registered provider contacts to have their say!

To get yourself prepared to respond, join us at our next ACsess Governance Club where we will explore:

  • Who needs to be trained (including certain employees of service providers)
  • Who will be responsible for meeting the costs of both the training of staff and staff absence when the relevant staff are being trained
  • What the training deadlines are (particularly when considering the availability of training)
  • The requirement to have a written policy on managing and developing staff behaviours, skills and experience needed to provide good quality services and a code of conduct firmly embedded in the organisation to drive accountability, transparency and greater control

In the context of all of this, we will also look at the board’s responsibility for compliance with the standard at a time when they are already having to get to grips with the new proactive consumer regulation regime and complying with the Housing Ombudsman’s new Complaint Handling Code.

Who should attend?

Company secretaries, heads of governance, heads of legal, and executive directors.

Speakers

Katherine Sinclair, legal director

Catherine Simpson, senior associate

WEBINAR: Charities Act 2022: Changes in force from 7 March 2024

The provisions of the Charities Act 2022 have been brought into force in three tranches during autumn 2022, spring 2023 and now 7 March 2024. This live session will look at the third and (nearly) final set of provisions which are in force from 7 March 2024. We will cover:

  • The changes to the way charities will amend their governing documents
  • Changes to the restrictions on disposing of and mortgaging charity land
  • The information which must be included in documents disposing of charity land
  • New powers relating to the appointment of charity trustees
  • New powers relating to the remuneration of charity trustees
  • The changes in relation to charity mergers

Who should attend?

This session is designed for charity trustees, senior managers and anyone involved in charity governance who would like to understand the latest tranche of technical changes brought about by the Charities Act 2022.

Speakers

Edwina Turner, legal director
Laura Mynott, senior associate
Catherine Gibbons, associate

WEBINAR: ACsess Governance Club – An interview with the Housing Ombudsman

Findings of maladministration by the Housing Ombudsman have been one of the highest profile risks for the housing association sector during 2023. With proactive consumer regulation and the statutory Complaints Handling Code due to come into force on 1 April 2024, we will hear from Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman, on the key risk areas for providers under the new code and how they should respond.

Attendees to this confidential, client only session will benefit from hearing how best to prepare for the statutory code and what emerging good practice looks like.

Who should attend?

Company secretaries, heads of governance, heads of legal, executive directors

Speakers

Peter Hubbard, managing partner

Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman

WEBINAR: ACsess Governance Club – Boards and data: How boards need to use data effectively to drive better decision-making

Both the RSH and the Housing Ombudsman expect landlords to collect and collate relevant information about their tenants, their services and their performance and to use this to deliver excellent homes and services compliantly with the law and regulation. But what does this look like in practice? One of the housing sector’s leading independent consultants, Andy Roskell of the David Tolson Partnership, will explore with us how to ensure the board cuts through to understand the data it receives, challenges appropriately what it shows and demonstrates how this is hard-wired into its decision-making, as expected by the RSH under the new regulatory regime.

Who should attend?

Company secretaries, heads of governance, heads of legal, executive directors

Speakers

Victoria Jardine, partner and member of the governance, funding and corporate team

Andy Roskell, managing director of the David Tolson Partnership

WEBINAR: Supporting neurodivergent employees in the workplace

Line managing employees with disabilities is a well-trodden path in the employer journey. But what does that look like when managing neurodivergent employees; those on the autistic spectrum, those with dyslexia or dyspraxia or those with ADHD? In this free hour-long webinar, designed to fit into your working day, we will address a variety of aspects on this topic including:

  • The reasonable adjustments to consider, bringing out the best in neurodivergent employees.
  • The importance of language that is accurate and inclusive.
  • The value that neurodivergent employees can bring to a business and the corresponding challenges.
  • The recent case law and lessons to be learnt.

To add valuable operational and practical insight to these issues we are pleased to have an interview as part of the session, with Karen Allen, head of people and development at Futures Housing Group to understand how her organisation has trodden this path.

Who should attend?

Anyone who is involved in HR within their organisation at all levels.

Speakers

WEBINAR: Frameworks and dynamic markets in the Procurement Act

This free webinar will explore the new commercial purchasing tools in the Procurement Act 2023. These will replace framework agreements and dynamic purchasing systems when the act comes into force in October 2024. We will consider the specific features of each tool, their potential benefits and drawbacks and whether the Procurement Act will help resolve any of the issues currently being experienced when using the existing tools. The session will be hosted by our head of public procurement and partner, Steven Brunning.

Who should attend?

Procurement managers, officers, in-house lawyers and others from contracting authorities and suppliers who currently engage with framework agreements and dynamic purchasing systems.

Speakers

WEBINAR: Provider selection regime: Impact on health and social care providers

The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 have been laid before Parliament and will be effective on 1 January 2024. In this webinar, we summarise the key changes affecting how adult social care services and health services will be commissioned and procured.

Current legislation governing the commissioning and procurement of health care services sets the expectation that competitive tendering is used to award health care contracts. This free webinar will guide attendees through the new processes commissioners can use to purchase a mixture of health and adult social care services. Delegates will come to understand how traditional competitive processes will be used less frequently and the advantages and disadvantages this brings to providers.

Who should attend?

Adult social care providers that deliver publicly funded care packages. The session is particularly relevant for those suppliers who deliver a blend of health and social care and those who are jointly funded by local authorities and the NHS.

Speakers

  • Steven Brunning, partner and head of public procurement
  • Emma Watt, associate and specialist in governance in regulatory compliance

WEBINAR: Navigating international recruitment: Avoiding the pitfalls and understanding best practice

In the list of hot topics for the health and social care sector, international recruitment must be near the top! Partnering with BA Healthcare (a major provider of overseas healthcare professionals to UK health and social care providers), Anthony Collins is running a webinar on this issue. We will address, amongst other things, the following.

  • What will change following the Home Secretary’s announcement about curbing net migration?
  • The pitfalls to avoid when recruiting outside the UK
  • Key preparations for recruitment – including obtaining a sponsorship licence
  • Cost implications – including minimum salary considerations
  • Attracting international staff
  • What does best practice look like?

If you are looking to start recruiting internationally or are doing so already and would value input, please do join us for this hour-long sector specific session which brings our team’s legal expertise together with the practical advice and guidance of Rick Canavan, director of BA Healthcare.

Who should attend?
Anyone who is involved in HR within their organisation at all levels. 

Speakers

WEBINAR: ACsess Governance Club – 12 months in governance – A review of 2023 and looking ahead to 2024

As we approach the end of 2023, we will reflect on the past 12 months through a governance lens. We’ll also look ahead to 2024 and the dominant themes and changes that are going to impact on housing providers and what these mean for good and effective governance. It’s a great opportunity for you as governance officers to check your radar against ours and your peers, and to plan for the wide-ranging changes that you will need to navigate your organisation through over the coming year.

Who should attend?

Company secretaries, heads of governance, heads of legal, executive directors

Speakers

Victoria Jardine, partner and member of the governance, funding and corporate team

Peter Hubbard, managing partner and member of the governance, funding and corporate team

Sarah Patrice, partner in the governance, funding and corporate team

Catherine Simpson, senior associate in the governance, funding and corporate team