New regulator for health, mental health and adult social care.

(From Government News Network)

] CARE QUALITY COMMISSION 1 April 2009 New regulator for health, mental health and adult social care

The new Care Quality Commission will put the public and users of services at the heart of its work.

The Care Quality Commission aims to: * improve services across health and adult social care and act swiftly to remedy bad practice * put people who use services first and champion their rights * share our wealth of knowledge and expertise on health and social care services * involve providers, commissioners and people who use services in the design and development of our work.

Speaking this evening (1 April) to 200 people from across the worlds of health, mental health and adult social care at a reception to mark the launch of the new Care Quality Commission (CQC), CQC Chairman Barbara Young will say that today marks a new stage in the drive for quality and safety in health and adult social care.

"CQC will join up the regulation of health and adult social care across the public and independent sectors for the first time. The public wants good quality of care wherever it is provided and wants care that is joined up. Particularly as the population ages, the care people receive spans sectors and they should have assurance that, no matter where their care is delivered, the services are operating to the same essential common quality standards."

"We will put people's rights to good quality and safe care right at the heart of what we do. We will work hard to ensure that users of services and their carers and families are fully involved in shaping our work and the driving up of quality.