§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr. Stephen Ladyman)The National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) was established under the Care Standards Act 2000 as part of the Government's reforms to modernise the regulatory system for care services and independent healthcare. Its main aim is to drive up the quality of services and improve the level of protection for vulnerable people by the regulation of social care and independent health care services. It carries out regular inspections of services against national minimum standards set by the Secretary of State and has strong powers of enforcement to ensure that services meet the required standards. The NCSC is an independent, non-departmental public body, with its own chair, chief executive, board and inspection staff.
The NCSC's management statement sets out that, at the end of each financial year, the Commission shall publish an annual report, together with its audited annual accounts. The reports and accounts should outline the NCSC's main activities and performance during the previous financial year and set out a summary of its forward plans. The management statement also sets out that the report and accounts will be laid before Parliament.
The NCSC has just come to the end of its first year of operation. This will therefore be its first annual report.
Copies of the NCSC's annual report for 2002–03 have been placed in the Library.