Wes Streeting has branded the healthcare regulator “not fit for purpose” after an explosive review found it is failing to protect patients from harm.
The Health Secretary said he was “shocked” to learn that one in five care providers had never received a rating from the Care Quality Commission.
And some hospitals, doctors’ offices and nursing homes have not been inspected again for more than a decade.
The CQC says it makes sure health and social care services provide people with “safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care” by monitoring and inspecting what they do. However, the independent review by Dr Penny Dash found that fewer than half as many inspections were carried out last year as in 2019/20.
Inspectors also have a worrying lack of experience. Some inspectors said they had never been in a hospital and one who visited care homes had never met a person with dementia.
Wes Streeting (pictured) has branded the assistance regulator as “not fit for purpose”
The Health Secretary said he was “stunned” to learn that one in five care providers had never received a rating from the Care Quality Commission (file image)
The CQC says it makes sure health and social care services provide people with “safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care” by monitoring and inspecting what they do (file image)
Dr Dash, chair of the North West London Integrated Care Board, was commissioned to conduct the review by former health secretary Victoria Atkins in May.
Mr Streeting has ordered the publication of an interim report, saying urgent action is needed to improve regulation and ensure transparency.
He said: ‘When I joined the department it was already clear that the NHS was broken and the social care system was in crisis.
“But I have been surprised by the scale of the shortcomings of the institution that is supposed to identify them and act on them. It seems clear to me that the CQC is not prepared to fulfil its role.”
Experts have previously raised concerns that the CQC failed to expose wrongdoing at trusts that later became embroiled in major scandals.
The Dash review identified “significant internal failings” that hamper its ability to identify poor performance. These include a shortage of inspections, a lack of clinical expertise among inspectors, a lack of consistency in assessments and problems with the CQC’s computer system.
Dr Dash said: “The content of my interim report underlines the urgent need for comprehensive reform within the CQC.”
Mr Streeting said the government would take immediate steps to restore public confidence in the regulator, including increased oversight, greater transparency in how it determines supplier ratings and a review of assessment frameworks.
Dr. Dash will publish her full report in the fall.