§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what areas of private healthcare are to be transferred to the new Commission for Healthcare Audit and Improvement under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill; [123038]
(2) what areas of private healthcare are regulated by the National Care Standards Commission; [123039]
(3) what steps he is taking to ensure a comprehensive system of regulation for all private healthcare is in place. [123040]
126W
§ Ms Rosie WintertonUnder the Care Standards Act 2000 the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) is responsible for the regulation of independent health care and social care. The term 'independent health care' refers to private or voluntary establishments or agencies that provide care by medical practitioners, and such providers are registered as independent hospitals, independent clinics or independent medical agencies. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAD will take over responsibility for the regulation of independent health care from April 2004.
The NCSC is also responsible for the regulation of care homes in which nursing is provided, and nurses' agencies, but these are classified as social care and responsibility for their regulation will transfer to the Commission for Social Care Inspection from April 2004.
The Government have already ensured that a comprehensive system of regulation of private health care is in place by introducing the Care Standards Act, which has made unprecedented improvements on previous regulatory schemes. These include increased scope of regulation, a single regulator to promote consistency of application, national minimum standards and powers to inspect clinical performance. This will continue under CHAI.