Briefing paper: consultation on the future regulation of health and adult social care

December 2006

On 27th November 2006, the Department of Health (DH) published a groundbreaking consultation document on proposals for the future regulation of health and adult social care in England.

The publication "confirms the commitment to merge the three organisations responsible for regulating health care, adult social care and the operation of the Mental Health Act", and outlines roles and responsibilities in the new regime. It suggests that SHAs and PCTs will be particularly affected by these new roles and responsibilities and that they face a number of crucial challenges in the following areas: choice, continuity of service, encouraging and ensuring competition, and carrying out effective comparisons (or benchmarking).

The stakes are high and time is short. Regulatory reform is arguably the largest and most critical 'operation' undertaken for many years. SHAs and PCTs will have to deal with the issues raised by the consultation document well if they are to deliver the service patients require and the financial performance which the DH (and ultimately the taxpayer) will expect.

The consultation will play a pivotal role in determining the activities of SHAs and PCTs for years to come. Responses to the consultation are due by 28th February 2007. SHAs and PCTs have a clear choice between engaging proactively and shaping the future or responding reactively and letting the future shape them.

By clicking on the download you can access a printable copy of this publication.