Care Quality Commission
unveils first two initiatives aimed at improving quality and safety
of services
CARE QUALITY
COMMISSION News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service. 24
October 2008
The Care Quality
Commission is today (Friday) publishing two documents which set
out how it will:
* drive further improvements in how the NHS deals with healthcare
associated infections, such as MRSA
* use its new enforcement powers to improve the quality and
safety of health and adult social care services for the people who
use them.
The Care Quality Commission is launching a 12-week consultation
with a wide variety of stakeholders on how it intends to use its
new enforcement powers, together with publishing guidance to NHS
trusts about additional requirements for registering with the new
Commission in relation to healthcare associated infection (HCAI).
Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the Care Quality
Commission has a number of new enforcement powers to deal with
underperforming services - to inspect and investigate, to issue a
statutory warning notice, to issue a financial penalty notice in
lieu of prosecution and, in the most serious cases, to prosecute
or suspend registration. The use of these powers will focus on
HCAI from 1 April 2009. The Act will come fully into force in
April 2010, so during 2009/10 the new Commission will use existing
enforcement frameworks in relation to other aspects of NHS care,
independent healthcare and social care that the Healthcare
Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection use now.
The Department of Health has just finished consulting on
regulations in relation to the NHS and HCAI, which come into force
in April 2009. At that time, the Care Quality Commission has been
asked to implement a registration system for HCAI for NHS trusts
(acute, ambulance, mental health and primary care) and the NHS
Blood and Transplant Authority. This means that from April 2009,
trusts will be required to register with the Care Quality
Commission and comply with the new requirements and regulations
under the 2008 Act that require them to protect patients, staff
and others from identifiable risks of acquiring a
healthcare-associated infection.
Trusts will need to apply for registration with CQC between 12
January and 6 February 2009. CQC will then make registration
decisions from 7 March 2009, and enforcement via the new powers
will be possible from 1 April 2009. If the Commission takes
enforcement action against an NHS provider over HCAI during
2009/10, it will use the powers in the 2008 Act. A wider
registration system for all aspects of care across both health and
adult social care providers will apply from April 2010.
Section 88 of the 2008 Act requires the Care Quality Commission
to consult on and publish guidance on how it will exercise its
enforcement powers, including decisions about publication of
enforcement action. The draft enforcement policy published today
is a high-level consultation document that sets out the principles
and describes how the new Commission's enforcement powers may
be used. Guidance on the detail of enforcement processes will
follow in due course.
Cynthia Bower, Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission, said:
"We will champion the interests of people who use health and
social care services at all times and will work positively and
collaboratively with the many providers who are providing quality
services. However, we won't hesitate to take action against
bad practice to ensure people's safety. Having a good,
integrated enforcement policy and ensuring that safety is
paramount are two key elements in ensuring that people have a high
quality experience.
"While we will be using a common set of principles for
enforcement, we completely accept that different approaches are
needed in different circumstances: for instance, a large acute
hospital is very different from a small domiciliary care service."
She added: "We recognise that there is no magic bullet to
meeting the challenge of HCAI. Success will be achieved through a
combination of constant vigilance and very hard work. We will use
existing information and risk-based inspection to minimise the
burden on trusts, especially where they are performing well. But
we won't compromise on quality and we won't hesitate to
be tough in cases where trusts are letting people down. Our shared
aim has to be fewer avoidable deaths and improved quality of care
for patients."
ENDS
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 consultation period for the draft enforcement policy is 12
weeks, in line with the Cabinet Office code of practice on
consultation. Responses are therefore required by 16 January,
2009. Responses should be sent to
consultationresponses@cqc.org.uk or using the reply sheet in the
consultation document.
3. The Care Quality Commission will be holding a series of events
around the country as part of the consultation process. Delegates
will also have the opportunity to find out more about
the
registration process. To register, go to
http://www.livegroup.co.uk/cqcevents
4. A three-page briefing setting out CQC's enforcement
powers is attached.
5. The Care Quality Commission's manifesto, which sets out
is vision and values, can be found at http://www.cqc.org.uk
6. The Care Quality Commission Chairman is Barbara Young and the
two Commissioners appointed to date are Professor Deirdre Kelly
and Dame Jo Williams.
7. For further information, please contact Creina Lilburne on 020
7448 9439, mobile 07941 156 827