§ 21. Ms KeebleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the protection of patients using private medical services. [102282]
§ Ms StuartWe are determined to give the public proper protection and have set out our plans for improvements to the regulation of private and voluntary healthcare in the Care Standards Bill. Among other things we will
create a separate division within the National Care Standards Commission that will concentrate on private and voluntary healthcare;introduce national minimum standards with which registered establishments will have to comply;ensure that all establishments have proper complaints procedures as a condition of registration;widen the scope of regulation particularly to include private primary medical care.