In its latest report, the Public Accounts Committee has raised a number of concerns regarding the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which it believes "has a long way to go to become an effective regulator." Among the issues highlighted are: serious anxieties regarding governance and leadership, with the Department of Health (DH) urged to undertake a "fundamental review" the DH have identified five particular areas for improvement (including "strategic direction", priority setting and accountability); the committee is concerned that the planned system for GP registration could leave the CQC as "simply a post-box for self-certified applications"; inconsistencies noted in relation to inspections and enforcement; the current lack of quality measures for the Commission's work; and information for the public is deemed "inadequate".
The report also concludes that the CQC should not be allowed to take on new responsibilities planned under the government's health reforms; including taking on the functions of other organisations, such as the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, as proposed by the Department of Health. It believes that the Commission not only lacks necessary capacity, but also it 'would undermine its ability to focus on the improvements it needs to make in relation to its existing regulatory functions.'
