CQC asks for feedback on new registration standards

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has opened a public consultation on the new standards that it will use to register health and social care providers. From April 2010 every public, independent and voluntary provider must be registered with the CQC, the new regulatory body for health and social care services in England. The CQC wants the new registration standards to make regulation fairer for providers as well as providing a clear benchmark for safety and quality. The results of the public consultation will be used to create the guidance that will tell providers what they need to do to meet the required standards. Feedback on the guidance has been invited from both providers themselves and from people who use their services. CQC Chairman Cynthia Bower comments on the new requirement for registration: ‘People have a right to expect a certain standard of care, regardless of whether they are receiving health or adult social services and regardless of whether it is in the public or independent sector. Registration will make sure that health and adult social care providers across the country are meeting essential common quality standards.’ The consultation period runs until 24 August 2009. Further details and a downloadable consultation pack can be found on the CQC website.