The 2008 Health & Social Care Act 2008
This is the UK Act of Parliament that brought the Care Quality Commission (CQC) into being. The Act built on the 2006 Health Act, and strengthened the regulation in healthcare. It was accompanied by a new Code Of Practice.
- CQC - the Care Quality Commission replaced 3 previous regulators in the areas of general healthcare, mental healthcare and social care. It came into being in April 2009 and is already making its presence felt, through unannounced audits and enforcement orders
- 'Code of Practice for the NHS on the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections and related guidance’ - this forms the bedrock of best-practice for the NHS, and effectively sets out the standards that all healthcare providers will be expected to meet.