The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Simon Burns)
I wish to inform the House that the Department is today publishing a consultation on proposed changes to the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 and The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010. The proposals include changes that will improve the effectiveness of current regulatory arrangements for health and social care and reduce the burden on providers (including the providers of health care at the Olympic games).
The Government are committed to keeping regulatory systems under review and to ensuring that regulatory burdens are kept to a minimum, while ensuring that the systems are effective at protecting service users. In line with commitments given to the House, officials have carried out an initial review of the operation of the regulations governing the new registration system for health and adult social care providers operated by the Care Quality Commission. The first year of operating the system has highlighted a number of issues in the regulations that either do not function as initially intended, lack clarity or which impose an unjustified burden on providers. This consultation document sets out the issues identified, proposes how they might be addressed and seeks views on these. It also asks respondents to identify other issues that should be considered as part of a wider review to begin later this year. The proposals include changes to both the regulation of health care and adult social care services that, subject to consultation responses and the parliamentary process, could be made swiftly and that we plan to start to implement in 2012.
By keeping the regulations governing the registration system under constant review, we will ensure that legislative framework keeps pace with service developments, focuses regulatory requirements where they are most effective, and delivers a system that allows the Care Quality Commission to provide the assurance that services meet the safety and quality requirements that people who use services and their families expect.
“Consultation on proposed changes to regulations for Care Quality Commission registration” has been placed in the Library. Copies are available to hon. Members from the Vote Office and to noble Lords from the Printed Paper Office.