Commission responds to Government wider review of regulation
21 November 2005
The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) today responded
to the Department of Health's consultation on its Wider review of
regulation in health and social care.
In the response, the Commission stresses that the review is
important because it is essential to be clear about the role and
function of regulation before any decisions are made about the type
of organisation required to deliver those functions.
The Commission also details its support for a regulatory system
that is designed to help deliver the Government's wider objectives
for social care and health. CSCI argues that regulation and
inspection should support and encourage those objectives, not drive
them. Whatever system is in place, the primary purpose of
regulation and inspection should be to safeguard and promote the
rights and welfare of those who use care and health services.
Dame Denise Platt, Chair of the CSCI, said that having an
overriding statutory function to encourage improvement in services
– as CSCI and the Healthcare Commission currently do – is a
powerful organising principle for all activity.
Dame Denise continued: "CSCI is in a unique position to look
across the whole social care sector, regulating providers,
challenging commissioners and providing authoritative information
for policy makers and the public. We have also put consulting and
involving people who use services at the heart of everything we do.
This, and our sector-wide perspective, needs to be retained within
a future regulatory system, and we are reminding Government of this
today.
"In our response we have pointed out that there are some
critical differences between the social care and health markets,
making a single approach to all regulatory and inspection
activities problematic. However, we have also recognised the real
value of the increasing amount of joint work we carry out with our
partners in the Audit Commission, Healthcare Commission, Ofsted and
the Criminal Justice Inspectorates."
In today's response, CSCI also said that:
- the adult social care sector is a functioning, pluralist market
with many providers, increasing numbers of purchasers (including
many individuals) and consumers who often lack both information and
influence. This has major implications for the way the sector is -
and should be - regulated. In particular, we believe that economic
regulation (e.g. allowing new providers into the market and driving
unacceptable ones out) and the regulation of the quality of care
are inextricably intertwined. They should remain, as now, in a
single regulatory body.
- CSCI's performance assessment process is multi-factoral, using
professional judgements as well as statistical indicators and
inspection evidence. It is a critical component of the overall
Comprehensive Performance Assessment of local councils.
- Moreover, the process involves assessing issues such as
community leadership and the promotion of community wellbeing,
which go beyond more traditional commissioning and service
delivery.
- Constant structural change inevitably diverts effort and energy
away from our core task of delivering a modernised system of
regulation and inspection, focussing on risks, proportionate and
representing good value for money.
Ends
Notes to editors
- CSCI is the single inspectorate for social care in England,
responsible for regulating and inspecting all social care providers
– whether public sector or privately owned.
- The Commission's primary aim is to improve social care by
putting the needs of people who use care services first.
- The Commission is chaired by Dame Denise Platt DBE and has five
Commissioners. The Chief Inspector of Social Services is David
Behan CBE. CSCI staff work across nine regions in England – aligned
with the government offices of the regions.
- For the Commission's input to the Department's Wider Review,
please visit: www.csci.org.uk