Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of all health and social care services in England.Its job is to make sure that care provided by hospitals, dentists, ambulances, care homes and services in people’s own homes and elsewhere meets government standards of quality and safety. CQC began operating on 1 April 2009, replacing three earlier commissions: the Healthcare Commission, the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Mental Health Act Commission.
The government standards cover all aspects of care, including:
- treating people with dignity and respect.
- making sure food and drink meets people’s needs.
- making sure that that the environment is clean and safe.
- managing and staffing services.
CQC registers care services that meet the standards, inspects them to check that they continue to do so, and takes action when they don’t.