Introduction
The Care Quality Commission (the Commission) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England and has two main purposes: to make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care; and to encourage providers to improve the quality of care. It is accountable to Parliament and sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care (the Department). The Commission regulates providers across three sectors: hospitals, adult social care, and primary medical services. It registers, monitors and inspects providers, and publishes its assessments and provider ratings. The Commission can also take enforcement action when care falls below fundamental standards.
The Committee of Public Accounts has reported twice before on the Commission, in 2012 and 2015. In 2012, the Committee raised serious concerns about the Commission’s governance, leadership and culture. In 2015, it reported that the Commission had made substantial progress since 2012, but there remained issues with: staffing levels; the accuracy and timeliness of inspection reports; its capacity to take on new responsibilities; and how it measured its own performance. The Commission has since introduced a new five-year strategy, which includes a move to a more intelligence-driven regulatory approach. The Commission’s funding is set to reduce by 13% between 2015–16 and 2019–20.
8 March 2018