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A new independent supervisory body has joined the effort to achieve better standards of health and social care in England so reducing cases of clinical negligence.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is a name we shall become more familiar with as the regulator for health and adult social care, which will include investigating NHS trusts where there may be problems of clinical negligence, medical negligence or other issues leading to personal injury of patients and their relatives.
Until March 31 2009, regulation of health and adult social care in England was carried out by the Healthcare Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection. The Mental Health Act Commission had monitoring functions with regard to the operation of the Mental Health Act 1983.
The Health and Social Care Act 2008 established a single, integrated regulator for health and adult social care - the Care Quality Commission - to replace these three bodies.
The CQC's aim is to make sure better care is provided for everyone, whether that's in hospital, in care homes, in people's own homes, or elsewhere.
It regulates health and adult social care services provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies or voluntary organizations and it protects the rights of people detained under the Mental Health Act.
It has the power to carry out investigations of NHS trusts if it has evidence which suggests a serious problem that may be putting patients at risk. The CQC can make an intervention if representatives believe that a service is not doing all that it can to protect patients, and want to identify the problem more quickly than would be possible with a full investigation.
Among the issues with which it has been involved in its first few months of operation were the failings at Staffordshire Hospital resulting in a higher-than-expected death rate and an inquiry into an out-of-hours GP service which employed foreign doctors to work at weekends in the UK.
CQC monitors GP out-of-hours services problem
CQC's chief executives Cynthia Bower says, "GP out-of-hours services provide vital care to people outside of normal surgery hours. As commissioners of these services, PCTs need to ensure people receive safe, quality care around the clock."
On its comprehensive website, CQC explains its role, offers advice on finding care and health services, has reports of the latest news and inquiries and offers contact details in the areas for which it has an overall responsibility.
These are: care homes and services, council social services, independent healthcare services, complaints about the NHS and detention under the Mental Health Act.
To contact the customer service team to give feedback, raise a concern or complaint about a health or social care service or obtain publications or reports from the Care Quality Commission's predecessor organizations, see the website, telephone 03000 616161 or write to Care Quality Commission, National Correspondence, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4PA.
Once it is fully established, the CQC hopes that its early intervention and prevention of situations liable to put members of the public at risk of death or personal injury will result in fewer compensation claims for medical and clinical negligence by patients and their families.
