Cristianos News:

Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) will take over the responsibility of the Healthcare Commission in April 2009 and will apparently 'improve the quality of health and social care and look after the interests of people detained under the Mental Health Act'.

It will take over the work of the following 3 Commissions:

Their work, will bring together regulation of the quality of health and adult social care for the first time and will touch the lives of almost everyone in England.

The Healthcare Commission was an organisation recognised by most for their responsibility to register and regulate healthcare in England. With effect from 1st April 2009 the Healthcare Commission merged with the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Mental Health Act Commission to form The Care Quality Commission (CQC). The aim is to create one independent regulator for health, mental health and adult social care. The Care Quality Commission will also regulate private and voluntary healthcare care for example private doctors, hospitals and laser and intense pulsed light providers.

The primary aim of the Care Quality Commission is to put the people who use services first and ensure providers deliver high quality health and social care that supports people to live healthy and independent lives, empowers individuals, families and carers in making informed decisions about their own care and is responsive to individual needs.

To many it may seem strange that health, mental health and social care are regulate along with beauty therapists providing laser treatment we asked Chris Hart from Cristianos Laser Clinic to comment. “When lasers began to be used outside of hospital environments the Government rushed through legislation to ensure the safe use of such equipment and as a result we were originally registered and regulated under the Nursing Homes Act. The Care Standards Act 2000 brought intense pulsed light systems under regulation making it illegal to use either a laser or IPL system without prior registration with the Care Quality Commission. We are regulated and inspected using the same quality assurance standards as a hospital and as a result the burden of regulation is heavy for small providers both in terms of compliance and finance. However the aim of the regulatory framework is to ensure clients receive quality assured treatment and care and therefore strict regulation is to be applauded.”

The Government had considered plans to withdraw laser and IPL from the regulatory framework however these plans have been withdrawn. The Care Quality Commission will have more regulatory powers than previous regulators including an increased fine of up to £50,000 for failure to register.

click here to view CQC website.