Gloria’s Law to be debated in Parliament!
17/06/2025
On Tuesday 24th June at 9:30am, there will be a debate in Westminster Hall titled The Right to Maintain Contact in Care Settings. This debate is being put forward by Dan Carden MP, who originally put forward the Care Supporter Bill, for the legal right to a Care Supporter - Gloria’s Law.
After years of campaigning with Rights for Residents and John’s Campaign, this is the first time that this vital issue (that impacts so many people we support) will be debated in Parliament under the new Government. With positive support from the now Prime Minister before he was elected and promising manifesto commitments, we hope that this debate can provide a platform for understanding how important this issue is.
What can I do to help?
Please write to your MP to ask them to attend the debate in Westminster Hall next Tuesday, using the title “The Right to Maintain Contact in Care Settings”. This is short notice, so asking them to confirm they have received your message and will be attending is important. We’d recommend you explain why this right is important to you, and why it must be enshrined in law as a right for us all. You may find our Gloria’s Law page helpful for this.
As ever, we are extremely grateful to our campaign supporters. Thank you very much in advance!
What is the context for this debate?
The Department of Health and Social Care is currently reviewing the Care Quality Commission’s Regulation 9A: Visiting and Accompanying. This regulation was brought in in April 2024, following our campaigning. This regulation sets out an important fundamental standard that should always have existed, for visiting and accompanying people in health and care.
However, this regulation is secondary legislation: it relies on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitoring and enforcing it. This is too weak for something as vital as the support of trusted loved ones who know us best and act as our advocates when we need them. Our adviceline has supported people facing restrictions on access to their relatives and friends where the care provider shares that they are aware of Regulation 9A, they are just choosing not to comply with it, with no repercussions.
Regulation 9A is also concentrated on “visiting” - this fails to recognise why we have always called for a Care Supporter, a valued partner in care. This is not just about trying to ensure someone can have their loved one with them, but ensuring they can act as the trusted eyes, ears and voice when needed, as their chosen representative in care planning and decisions.
As this is a CQC Regulation, and not a right that sits with the person receiving care, they do not themselves have enforcement power if it isn’t adhered to. This does not go far enough to protect people from the power imbalance that exists when people are drawing on care - their rights need to be protected in law, not just supported through the CQC’s regulations.
We continually support people who cannot have their loved ones involved in their needs assessment, their care plan, their safeguarding report, their complaint or CQC referral. Gloria’s Law is urgently needed: introducing a new legal right in primary legislation to ensure that people in all health or care settings can have the support of their trusted representatives when they need them most. This would shift the power imbalance and respect people’s choice and autonomy about the support they want.