Heat-health alert for East of England

An amber heat-health warning has been issued by the UKHSA. The warning is in effect from the morning of 22 June 2026 through to the night of 26 Jun 2026. Please ensure you keep up to date with weather reports reports and plan accordingly.

UKHSA weather warning guidance

The Supreme Court's judgment on deprivation of liberty

You may be aware that the Supreme Court has recently issued a judgment which significantly changes the legal approach to determining whether a person is deprived of their liberty. The judgement can be seen here A Reference by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland of a devolution issue under paragraph 34 o….

We would encourage you to familiarise yourselves with the judgment and carefully consider the implications for your services and practice. Please see the following links for further information: CQC statement on the Supreme Court's judgment on deprivation of liberty - Care Quality Commission and 2026-UKSC-16-Summary-for-website.pdf.

We ask that you refer to this updated position when making any new referrals to the DoLS team.  In addition, as the change came into effect immediately from 2 June, please review any recent DoLS referrals you have made. You should consider whether, in light of this revised approach, any of these referrals may no longer be appropriate.

We hope this offers reassurance whilst we wait for additional National guidance to be disseminated.  At this stage we don’t have further information, but if you have a specific query, you can contact the MCA DoLS Duty Team at Dolforms@essex.gov.uk

Essex County Council - Provider Hub
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Market Context

Individual Service Funds (ISFs) provide both people and care and support providers with greater flexibility to deliver support tailored to the person's circumstances, wants, and needs. They offer choice and control for people who cannot or do not want to access a direct payment but still desire more personalised support. Essex County Council (ECC) has developed an early adopter approach to learn how to deliver ISFs effectively.

ISFs represent an alternative way of contracting with the market, giving more choice and control to the person receiving the service. Instead of commissioning a standard service such as home care or day opportunities, ECC can commission based on a set of outcomes and eligible needs with an agreed personal budget. This approach allows the ISF holding organisation to look at a broad range of support and/or services to meet the needs and outcomes of the person. They could deliver some and broker to other low cost or no cost solutions or specialist provision.

This is similar to managing and using a Direct Payment, but the ISF organisation manages the personal budget on behalf of the person. This arrangement is ideal for people who either do not have the capacity to enter into contracts or prefer not to take on the responsibilities associated with a Direct Payment. It provides them with greater choice and control over their support.

ECC is actively working to develop local ISF markets in Essex to enable more people to consider and benefit from ISF arrangements.

Essex  Market  
No. Providers 17
No. Adults 158

The information shown in the table(s) above is correct as of 1st April 2026

Our vision is to establish a countywide offer for ISFs, with organisations able to offer this flexible service arrangement to customers. We now have providers across Essex and are continuing to grow the offer to hand over to the new Unitary Authorities in 2028.

Current market risks:

  • Lack of interest from the market: We have now established numerous examples, learning, and insights to share with the market, significantly generating interest and expansion.  Current ISF providers are welcoming the flexibility and autonomy associated with being an ISF Provider.
  • Limited alternative solutions to broker to: ECC is actively working in local communities to develop Community Micro Enterprises (CMEs) for specialist, niche, and local provision. CMEs are well-positioned to support and respond to the brokerage elements for ISFs.

Our current area of focus is:

    • Developing a countywide ISF approach: We aim to create a consistent offer across the county, building on the good progress achieved.  We will ensure local ISF markets are well-supported as we scale the offer.
    • Exploring options to scale within ECC's existing frameworks: We are exploring how to integrate and expand ISFs within the existing ECC frameworks to enhance service delivery and efficiency.

Progress and recognition:

Essex County Council has become a pioneering force in the UK for ISFs. Over the past three years, the ISF initiative has seen substantial growth, with an increasing number of providers and referrals. ISFs currently support 158 people through 17 ISF providers, covering complex care packages across Essex, some of which are joint-funded with Health. This progress highlights ECC's commitment to personalisation and innovative care solutions.

Last updated: 01/04/2026
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