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Private and voluntary healthcare: Care Standards Act 2000. Regulations and national minimum standards consultation document.

  • Launch date:
    18 March 2008
  • Closing date:
    10 June 2008
  • Creator/s:
    Department of Health, Standards and Healthcare Commission Relations
  • Copyright holder:
    Crown
  • Product number:
    280611
  • Gateway number:
    8565

The Department plans to make major changes to the way that health and adult social care is regulated and performance managed from a currently planned date of April 2009. The consultation document contains the proposed changes to the regulations governing the independent healthcare sector as well as the proposed changes to the associated National Minimum Standards.

You may respond to the consultation by downloading and filling in the questionnaire relevant to your organisation (see links below). We would also encourage you to respond to any of the remaining questionnaires you may have an interest in.

Removal from Healthcare Commission regulation of certain private and voluntary healthcare services

The Government's approach to the regulation of businesses calls for a proportionate and risk-based approach to regulation. Having considered the private and voluntary healthcare services currently in regulation to establish whether all regulation continues to be proportionate and risk-based, the Department of Health believes that the following services do not need to continue to be regulated by the Healthcare Commission in order to ensure the provision of safe and effective services:

  • Type 3 hyperbaric oxygen chambers
  • Some vitro fertilisation techniques
  • Some types of laser and intense pulsed light technologies

The removal of these services from regulation by the Healthcare Commission in order to move to a more risk-based regulation system fits well with the Department's proposed role for regulation in the future.

Other amendments to the Private and Voluntary Healthcare Regulations

This chapter contains proposals to make other, relatively minor amendments to the Private and Voluntary Healthcare Regulations to ensure that they continue to reflect the Department's policy on the regulation of these services and providers.

Deadline for consultation responses is 10 June 2008

  • Contact:
    Adiba Enwonwu
  • Address:
    Standards and Healthcare Commission Relations
    Room 423
    Wellington House
    133-155 Waterloo Road
    London SE1 8UG
  • Phone:
    020 7972 4010

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