Reid outlines proposed merger of CSCI and Healthcare Commission

John Reid has confirmed that the Healthcare Commission and the
Commission for Social Care Inspection will merge to form a single
organisation by 2008, writes Clare
Jerrom.

The children’s social care function of the CSCI will merge
with schools watchdog Ofsted to create a single children’s
services inspectorate, the health secretary confirmed.

“Throughout the country, professionals in adult social and
health care are increasingly working more closely together. They
recognise that the integration of their work brings benefits for
the people that they serve,” said Reid.

“The time is right to start the process of bringing
together the inspectorates for adult social care and health care
into one single body by 2008,” he added.

The merger follows on from the department of Health’s
programme of down-sizing and its current review of arms-length
bodies.

The CSCI regulates adult social care services provided by local
authorities and independent care providers. The Healthcare
Commission regulates the quality of the NHS and independent health
care services

Chair of the CSCI Dame Denise Platt said she was
“disappointed” by the move and claimed the proposed
merger heralded a “further period of instability” in
the future of social care regulation for children and adult
services.

Platt said: “We are very concerned that the message sends
further upheaval to the 1.6 million people who use social care in
England, their families, and the eight million unpaid carers in the
UK.”

The Healthcare Commission gave its backing the proposed merger
with the CSCI

Further details of the planned merger will be confirmed
following wider consultations in the health and social care
inspection fields.