Printable version E-mail this to a friend

CQC will stand up for vulnerable groups

CQC will stand up for vulnerable groups

CARE QUALITY COMMISSION News Release (PR 08) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 24 March 2009

Commenting on the Ombudsman's report 'Six lives: the provision of public services to people with learning disabilities', Barbara Young, Chairman of the Care Quality Commission said: "We welcome the recommendation addressed to us. CQC will be looking to ensure that the new system of regulation for health and adult social care provides effective assurance on the quality of care not just for people with learning disabilities, but for the wider range of people who find themselves in vulnerable situations - including older people, people with physical disabilities, people with mental ill health, and children.

"The report's finding that health and care organisations failed to live up to human rights principles of dignity and equality are most disturbing. CQC's approach will be marked by its determination to put promote and protect the rights and interests of everyone who uses services and we have a wide range of enforcement powers to take action on their behalf if services are unacceptably poor.

"The reports talks about services that fell far below relevant standards. Our registration system will be designed to ensure that essential standards of quality are met everywhere care is provided, from hospitals to private care homes, and we work towards their improvement.

"As the single regulator for health and adult social care we will be able to look across services and examine how well services work together. For example, one of our special reviews for the coming year will be a study of how organisations are meeting the physical health needs of people with mental health problems and learning disabilities in hospital and residential settings."

Notes to Editors:

1.The Care Quality Commission was established by the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to regulate the quality of health and adult social care and look after the interests of people detained under the Mental Health Act. It will bring together the Commission for Social Care Inspection, the Healthcare Commission and the Mental Health Act Commission. The Care Quality Commission became a legal entity on 1 October 2008 and takes up its responsibilities for the quality of health and adult social care on 1 April 2009.

2. The recommendation that refers to the Care Quality Commission states: "those responsible for the regulation of health and social care services (specifically the Care Quality Commission, Monitor and the Equality and Human Rights Commission) should satisfy themselves, individually and jointly, that the approach taken in their regulatory frameworks and performance monitoring regimes provides effective assurance that health and social care organisations are meeting their statutory and regulatory requirements in relation to the provision of services to people with learning disabilities; and that they should report accordingly to their respective Boards within 12 months of the publication of the Ombudsmen's report.

Six Lives: the provision of public services to people with learning disabilities can be downloaded at http://www.ombudsman.org.uk. For further information or interview requests please contact 0300 061 4996.

3. The Care Quality Commission's manifesto, which sets out its vision and values, can be found at http://www.cqc.org.uk

4. The Care Quality Commission Chairman is Barbara Young and the five Commissioners appointed to date are Professor Deirdre Kelly, Dame Jo Williams, Olu Olasode, Kay Sheldon and Professor Martin Marshall.

5. For further information, please contact Alan Pickstock on 020 7633 4138

Facing the Future...find out more