Market Introduction

A Market Position Statement also known as 'MPS' is information produced by local authorities to comply with our market shaping duties under the Care Act 2014. The content reflects the local authorities understanding of their existing markets. 

 Who is the Market Position Statement for 

• Existing Providers working with Waltham Forest Council 
• New Providers who are looking for opportunities within Waltham Forest 
• Other businesses or organisations such as, Health, Community Health Providers, Voluntary or Community organisations working in partnership with Waltham Forest Council. 

Waltham Forest Council’s Care Act 2014 Obligations 

The Care Act 2014 places duties on local authorities on Market Development within Adult Social Care. This is included in Section 5 of the Care Act and Sections 48 to 56.  

Promoting diversity and quality in provision of services 

• The local authority must promote the efficient and effective operation of services for meeting care and support needs with a view to ensuring that any person in its area wishing to access services in the market 

1. has a variety of providers to choose from who (taken together) provide a variety of services; 
2. has various high-quality services to choose from; 
3. has sufficient information to make an informed decision about how to meet the needs in question. 

Market Oversight 

Regulations must specify criteria for determining whether (subject to regulations under subsection (4)) Section 55 (financial sustainability assessment) applies to a registered care provider who is registered in respect of the carrying on of a regulated activity relating to the provision of social care for adults. In specifying the criteria, the Secretary of State must have regard to the following in particular; 

• The amount of social care provided by a registered care provider. 
• The geographical concentration of a registered care provider's business. 
• The extent to which a registered care provider specialises in the provision of particular types of care. 

Other areas of the Care Act include: 

• Determining whether criteria apply to a care provider (Section 54). 
• Assessment of financial sustainability of a care provider (Section 55). 
• Informing local authorities where failure of a care provider is likely (Section 56). 

In November 2021, the Adult Social Care White Paper set out a 10-year vision specifying three key objectives that support the Care Act statutory responsibilities. These were: 

• People have choice, control and support to live independent lives.  
• People can access outstanding quality and tailored care and support.  
• People find Adult Social Care fair and accessible.  

Government also set expectation that Health and Social Care will continue to work closely alongside our district and borough councils to support agendas to integrate housing and support, improve technology county wide and support our social care workforce to receive the right training and qualifications.