Further instability in social care regulation unhelpful
Wednesday 16 March 2005

Dame Denise Platt DBE, chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, today expressed disappointment that a further period of instability in the future of social care regulation for children and adult services has been introduced in today's Budget statement. 

Dame Denise said: 

"The Commission was set up with a clear purpose - to promote improvement in social care through modernising the way these services are regulated, slimming down regulation so that it is risk-based and fit for purpose, and by putting the consumer at the centre. 

"We have already begun to do this and our recently published plans to deliver this modernising agenda have received government agreement and very strong support from the 4,000 responses we have had. 

"An overwhelming message, however, was that it will be very difficult for us to deliver this level of change, without a period of stability. We will try to deliver as much of this agenda as we can but clearly today's announcement means that we will have to modify our plans. 

"We have always supported closer working with the Healthcare Commission and Ofsted as integrated arrangements develop in the inspection of social care, health and education services. 

"We are concerned about the message further upheaval sends to the 1.6 million people who use social care in England, their families, and the eight million unpaid carers in the UK."