New Enforcement Teams To Tackle Poor Care Providers

Seven new specialist enforcement teams will tackle poorly performing care services, under new proposals agreed by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI).

{mosimage}The move reflects CSCI’s commitment to improving services and stamping out bad practice wherever we see it. 

While much progress has already been made, there is still more to do. 

Based in each of CSCI’s seven regions, the enforcement teams will be led by highly experienced senior inspectors – called Regulation Managers – supported by specialist inspectors and support staff.

The teams will work closely with CSCI’s lawyers to improve the speed, quality and consistency of enforcement activity in England. 

CSCI will also inform local councils, who purchase services for local residents, about poorly performing care services in their area, and the legally binding ‘requirements to improve’ placed upon services by CSCI inspectors.  

CSCI Chair Dame Denise Platt said: “The new regional enforcement teams will allow us to be more effective at tackling poor providers, not just in responding to concerns, but also being clearer about when, and how long, providers should be given time to improve before taking enforcement action to close them down.

“We will work with the Government to see how the law on protecting adults can be brought into line with the laws protecting children, to ensure that the rights and welfare of vulnerable adults are promoted and safeguarded in the same way as for children.”

“We are also seeking additional powers of prosecution in situations where there have been serious breaches of the regulations or where the safety or care of people has been compromised, but where the situation does not meet the criteria for urgent action or closure.”

Proposals to boost CSCI’s enforcement activity were discussed at a public meeting of Commissioners in London yesterday.  CSCI will also give greater prominence to its enforcement activity in the media for the benefit of people who use care services now and in the future, their relatives and friends, and for the information of local councils.  

Over the nine months to December 2006, 72% of services assessed to be poor have improved or closed down. The use of statutory enforcement powers is estimated to have played a part in 16% of these.

Inspectors use a range of methods to improve the quality of care services, ranging from general advice and guidance, to requiring an improvement plan which is then acted upon, to prosecuting criminal offences using the courts and tribunals as necessary.