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NHS: Health and Social Care

The Minister of State, Department of Health (Ben Bradshaw) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. On 11 August 2008, I published a consultation document, which is the latest stage in the development of the new system we are introducing for the regulation of health and adult social care. Changes to Arrangements for Regulating NHS Bodies in Relation to Healthcare-associated Infections for 2009-10: A Consultation for the NHS takes forward our commitment to allow the Care Quality Commission to regulate NHS bodies with respect to healthcare associated infections from April 2009. A copy has been placed in the Library and copies are available for honourable Members from the Vote Office. The NHS has been working hard to tackle healthcare-associated infections. We are on course to halve the number of MRSA infections from 2003-04 levels and reduce C. difficile infections. Patients keep telling us that contracting a healthcare-associated infection is one of their biggest concerns. It is crucial that we focus on bringing infection rates down even further and protecting patients, staff and visitors from the risk of infection. Patients are looking for assurances that no matter who provides their care, they will receive a safe and quality service. They also look to the regulators of health and social care to support and encourage improvements in the services they use. The NHS next stage review final report, High Quality Care for All, emphasises the important role that regulation plays in improving quality. The Health and Social Care Act establishes the Care Quality Commission on 1 October this year and it will take over responsibility for regulating health and adult social care from April 2009. It will operate under a new legislative framework, with a wider range of enforcement powers. These include powers to inspect and investigate, to issue statutory warning notices and financial penalties and, in the most serious cases, to prosecute, suspend or cancel registration. This document sets out how we plan to carry forward the existing code of practice for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections into this new environment, and further details the full range of enforcement powers that will be introduced under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. This publication encourages all NHS organisations to engage with this process and provides an opportunity for them to comment. However, it will also be of interest to anyone working in health and adult social care and to patients and service users who are interested in how the reforms are going to improve the services they use. The consultation will close on 20 October 2008.