Health Committee publishes reports into Monitor and the Care Quality Commission

On 14th September 2011 the House of Commons Health Select Committee, of which Valerie is a member, published reports into the healthcare regulators Monitor – responsible for the approval and regulation of Foundation Trusts – and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which is responsible for inspection of NHS and social care providers.

The Committee’s report on Monitor made it clear that standards for authorising Foundation Trusts should not fall due to increased pressure as the Government intends all remaining NHS trusts to become Foundation Trusts. The Committee also noted that Monitor has been operating in a very challenging context, in terms of the changes under the Health and Social Care Bill, the review of arm’s length bodies, and the changing healthcare landscape. It is still unclear exactly what Monitor’s new role will be, and it is likely that it will continue to operate in a challenging context in the coming years.

The Committee’s report on Monitor is available by clicking here.

The Committee’s report on the CQC criticised a “distortion of priorities” at the organisation, finding that a focus on administrative tasks such as the registration of dentists had been at the expense of the core function of inspection. The Committee found that this was the result of the CQC being established without sufficiently clear priorities and objectives, and that the CQC failed to draw these problems to the attention of the government, Parliament and the public.

The Committee welcomed recent announcements that the CQC will undertake annual visits of all NHS and social care providers. It also emphasised the importance of an open culture where professionals are able to raise concerns about failures of professional standards.

The Committee’s report on the CQC is available by clicking here.