Renewed fears of CSCI merger

Downing Street has confirmed on-going plans to cut bureaucracy
in the public sector but remained tight-lipped over whether these
include the merger of the Commission for Social Care Inspection and
Healthcare Commission, writes Sally
Gillen.

Press reports have claimed the government is planning to merge
13 inspectorates, including the CSCI and Healthcare Commission,
into four.

Under the rumoured proposals, Ofsted would also be merged with
the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education to form a
Children’s and Education Inspectorate.

Earlier this year, both the CSCI and the General Social Care
Council survived a review of arms-length bodies by the Department
of Health.

CSCI chief executive David Behan said: “The review of
arms-length bodies made it clear in July that CSCI should not be
merged.”