Inspections to be made less frequent

Mandatory inspections of care providers will happen once every three years, rather than the current once or twice a year, in plans to be unveiled by the government this month.

The proposals, announced in a speech last week by care services minister Liam Byrne, mark the first stage in the Department of Health’s review of care regulations.

They were given a warm welcome by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, which has called for the changes so it can focus inspection on the worst performing providers.

Byrne said: “I think CSCI should decide how often they inspect particular providersÉ rather than treating both high-quality and poorer quality providers in the same way.”

The new system would come into force next April.

Byrne also used the speech to a conference in London to announce that the DH and Department for Education and Skills’ joint review of the social care workforce would report next month.