WIREDGOV

The Healthcare Commission today (Thursday) publishes its report on the impact of NHS regulation on healthcare, and identifies areas where lessons can be learned.

The report considers how independent regulation has contributed to better outcomes and quality of care for people since 2004, as well as highlighting lessons for both regulation and the healthcare system as a whole.

The report comes as the Healthcare Commission approaches the end of its time as the independent regulator of the NHS. A new integrated regulator of health, mental health and adult social care, the Care Quality Commission, will take over on 1 April 2009.

Sir Ian Kennedy, Chairman of the Healthcare Commission says: “I am delighted to offer this analysis of the Healthcare Commission’s work in the hope it might be of help for the future.

“As the Commission comes to an end, it presents an ideal opportunity to reflect on the achievements over the last five years and identify where lessons can be learned.

I hope these lessons can assist in making regulation as effective as possible in safeguarding the public, protecting their rights, promoting better outcomes for people, and supporting those who care for them.”


For further information, contact Emma Reynolds in the Healthcare Commission press office on 020 7448 9237.



Notes to editors:


The report can be found on the Commission's website:

http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/publicationslibrary.cfm?fde_id=10335 



Information on the Healthcare Commission

The Healthcare Commission is the health watchdog in England. It keeps check on health services to ensure that they are meeting standards in a range of areas. The Commission also promotes improvements in the quality of healthcare and public health in England through independent, authoritative, patient-centred assessments of those who provide services.

Responsibility for inspection and investigation of NHS bodies and the independent sector in Wales rests with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW). The Healthcare Commission has certain statutory functions in Wales which include producing an annual report on the state of healthcare in England and Wales, national improvement reviews in England and Wales, and working with HIW to ensure that relevant cross-border issues are managed effectively.

The Healthcare Commission does not cover Scotland as it has its own body, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) undertakes regular reviews of the quality of services in Northern Ireland.

From 1 April 2009, the Care Quality Commission will bring together the work of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, the Healthcare Commission, and the Mental Health Act Commission. The new commission will regulate the quality of care in health and adult social care and look after the interests of people detained under the Mental Heath Act. This is the first time that independent regulation of health, mental heath and social care has been brought together in this way.