10 October 2013
CQC is committed to the effective regulation of mental health services. To mark World Mental Health Day, the regulator is pleased to announce it is working with mental health charity Mind on a new initiative to help people report poor care. CQC will also be appointing a deputy chief inspector of hospitals to take responsibility for its regulation of mental health services.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Mind have joined forces to help provide the regulator with better information about mental health services. CQC will be training the Mind helpline teamso they can talk to people about how to share concerns with the CQC.
Information from members of the public about the care they receive is valuable intelligence to CQC. CQC use this information to inform where, when and what to inspect.
Sophie Corlett, Director of External Relations at Mind said: “We’re here to make sure anyone with a mental health problem has somewhere to turn to for advice and support. The Mind helpline answers 40,000 calls a year. We are looking forward to working with CQC to raise their profile with people and help them share information about their care.”
Next month Professor Sir Mike Richards will publish proposals on changes to the way we inspect other types of mental health services, including how we will integrate our regulatory work with our monitoring of people’s rights under the Mental Health Act.
Sir Mike is planning to appoint a Deputy Chief Inspector with mental health expertise as soon as possible to assist him in this.
Sir Mike said: “This is a very important appointment and signals our determination to strengthen our regulation of mental health services.”
Our monitoring of the Mental Health Act will be integrated into our inspections wherever possible, although we will continue to run a programme of visits to people who are subject to the Mental Health Act to speak with them in private as we are required to do under the Act.
Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb said: “I am determined that mental health is treated with as much importance as physical health by the NHS and the health regulators.
“The appointment of a new deputy chief inspector with expertise in mental health at the CQC is central to this because it will ensure that the same rigorous inspection standards are applied to mental health as other NHS services. A named individual will be responsible for leading specialist inspection teams which can highlight good care and root out poor services.”
For media enquiries, call the CQC press office on 020 7448 9401 during office hours or out of hours on 07917 232 143.
For general enquiries, call 03000 61 61 61.
Notes to editors
About the CQC: Snippet for press releases
About the Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
We make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and we encourage care services to improve.
We monitor, inspect and regulate services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and we publish what we find to help people choose care.
About Mind
- Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. We provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. We campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
- Please note that Mind is not an acronym and should be set in title case.
- Mind’s Infoline is on 0300 123 3393 and the Legal Line is on 0300 466 6463 (helplines open Monday – Friday 9am – 6pm).
- Website: www.mind.org.uk
For more information, interviews and case studies please contact the Mind media team on T: 020 8522 1743, M: 07850 788514, E: media@mind.org.uk
About Mind
Mind is a charity that provides information and advice, training and services to help people to take control over their mental health.