HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE BILL
The purpose of the bill is to:
- create a new integrated regulator for health and adult social care, Ofcare, bringing together existing health and social care regulators into one regulatory body;
- reform professional regulation to enhance public and professional confidence and strengthen clinical governance as part of the Government's response to the Shipman Inquiry;
- include provisions to make a one off payment to all expectant mothers from the 29th week of pregnancy.
The main benefits of the bill are:
- to assure patient safety and apply a consistent approach to regulation for all types of provider through a new registration regime, requiring providers of health services and adult social care to be registered
- to implement the 2006 Budget commitment to bring together existing health and social care regulators into one body ('Ofcare'). This will operate with a significantly lower budget than the existing bodies and be established in 2008;
- to implement, following the inquiry into the case of Harold Shipman, the manifesto commitment to strengthen clinical governance; and to ensure professional activity is more accountable to the public ;
The main elements of the bill are:
- To establish a new, integrated health and adult social care regulator Ofcare,from existing regulators; to define the functions of the new regulator in the areas of safety and quality assurance, information and performance assessment and safeguarding the rights of detained mental health patients; and to update the system of registration that applies to providers of health and adult social care services and extend this to include NHS providers. Further details will be set out shortly in our response to the consultation on 'The future regulation of health and adult social care in England.'
- To introduce legislation to use the civil, rather than criminal, standard of proof for all healthcare professional regulatory bodies; to create an independent adjudicator to undertake independent and objective formal adjudication for the professional regulatory bodies; and to ensure that all healthcare organisations employing or contracting with doctors appoint a 'responsible officer' with personal responsibility to work with the GMC to identify and handle cases of poor professional performance by doctors.
The Bill would apply to:
- The United Kingdom. As this is a portmanteau bill the extent of the measures will differ for each policy area. The Government will work closely with the Devolved Administrations on the responsibilities they have in this area.
Related Documents:
Existing Legislation in this area is:
- Medical Act 1983
- Health Act 1999
- Care Standards Act 2000
- Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003
- NHS Act 2006
Comments:
If you have any comments on the draft programme or individual bill being proposed, you can email them to:
legislation@commonsleader.x.gsi.gov.uk
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