03.05.16
CQC promise reviews of social care, end of life care and Mental Health Act
The CQC’s 2016-17 business plan, published today, includes overviews of health and social care, end of life care and the implementation of the Mental Health Act, as well as a commitment to complete its inspections of all hospitals and other services in England.
CQC said it will publish a report into end of life care, which a recent Royal College of Physicians report warned is still inadequate, next month, as well as a report into people’s involvement in decisions about their care.
This will be followed by reports into integrated care for older people (June), neonatal care (July) and community diabetes support (September).
The CQC will publish reports into the state of health and adult social care in October, and the operation of the Mental Health Act in November.
More generally, the CQC committed to publishing reports into all hospitals, GP practices and residential adult social care homes by March 2017, when it will also publish its investigation into how all NHS trusts are learning from patient deaths.
However, it is not clear if the CQC will be able to accomplish this, as it has consistently missed its performance targets. A 2015 Public Accounts Committee report warned that the CQC is unprepared for carrying out its 2016 duties.
Mike Petter, chair of Southern Health, resigned on Friday after a CQC report found that the troubled community and mental health trust has consistently failed to improve patient safety.
NHS Improvement intend to appoint Tim Smart as his replacement.
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