Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Deferred
Paragraph: 92
Outstanding clarity issues concern CQC's readiness for system assessments from April 2023
Conclusion
Given that the CQC will have the legal powers to conduct assessments from April 2023, it is concerning that there are still outstanding questions that the Government needs to provide clarity on. This is particularly around any priorities DHSC may have for the assessments, and whether the CQC will be expected to provide ratings. This absence of information limits the CQC’s ability to prepare for these assessments and lengthens the time it will take for them to refine their approach to system assessment.
Government Response Summary
The government's response focused on the importance of the prevention agenda and developing methodologies for defining and baselining preventative healthcare spending, completely sidestepping the committee's concern about providing clarity to the CQC on assessment priorities and ratings.
Paragraph Reference:
92
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The government’s immediate priorities for the NHS are clear and have been set out in our recovery plans for elective care, urgent and emergency care and primary care. However, the government agrees that in line with the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan, over time the focus for the NHS should increasingly shift towards implementing evidence-based interventions to help improve prevention and support healthier life expectancy. However, we do not agree with imposing a national expectation of an essentially arbitrary shift in spending. To support investment in prevention, NHS England and DHSC will work closely with ICSs , local government partners and NICE to develop practical information and evidence to support local investment decisions. This will include considering the methodologies for developing an appropriate definition for preventative healthcare spending and exploring options for local baselining. Once this process has concluded we will make an assessment on publishing this information.