CSCI responds to consultation on new social care and health super-regulator
1 March 2007
The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), the regulator
for social care in England, has today responded to the Government’s
consultation document, "The future regulation of health and adult
social care in England".
Dame Denise Platt, Chair of the Commission, said:
"This document is an important statement of the way in which the
Government sees the evolution of social care and health
regulation.
"In our response today we have pointed out that the proposed new
‘super-regulator’ will have a very broad sweep of functions,
including inspecting and assessing the quality of over 30,000 care
and health services - these services employ 2.9 million people
across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
"It is critical that the range of social care functions of the
new organisation is not diminished and that the new regulator
continues to put the needs of people who use such services at the
heart of everything it does.
"We therefore strongly welcome the proposal that CSCI’s current
range of functions and sector-wide view of adult social care carry
forward into the new regulator.
"In addition, we are pleased to note the proposal that the new
regulator should provide an independent assessment of the quality
of commissioning.
"Strong and effective commissioning in social care and health
will secure high quality services for the benefit of people who use
services, and we know that information that enables people to
compare services is a powerful lever for improvement.
"CSCI also welcomes the recognition that there are significant
differences between social care and health care.
"The regulatory approach to each sector needs to reflect the
particular features and characteristics of that sector.
"CSCI supports a coherent - rather than a uniform - regulatory
system across health and social care."
Ends
Notes to editors
1. CSCI’s response to the Government’s Consultation document,
“The future regulation of health and adult social care in England”
can be found at www.csci.org.uk
2. 2004-05 figures show that approximately 1.7 million adults
were using services provided by councils. The new super-regulator’s
remit will be to inspect and assess the quality of over 30,000 care
and health services accounting for £105 billion of public
expenditure - a sector employing 2.9 million people.
3. The CSCI is the single inspectorate for social care in
England, responsible for regulating and inspecting all social care
providers - whether in the public or independent sector, and for
assessing the performance of local councils in delivering their
personal social services functions.
4. The Commission’s primary aim is to improve social care by
putting the needs of people who use care services first.
5. The Commission is chaired by Dame Denise Platt DBE and has
five Commissioners. The Chief Inspector is Paul Snell. CSCI staff
work across nine regions in England - aligned with the government
offices of the regions.