Enforcing standards

Our job is to check whether providers comply with the essential standards of quality and safety.

If we find that a service isn’t meeting the standards, we take action.

We can require providers to deliver a plan of action or we can use our enforcement powers. These powers include:

• issuing a warning notice requiring improvements within a short period of time.
• restricting the services that the provider can offer.
• stopping admissions into the care service.
• issuing fixed penalty notices.
• suspending or cancelling the service’s registration.
• prosecution.

We also work with various bodies to enforce the standards. Depending on the service and the circumstances, we can work with local authorities, regulatory bodies and agencies, and even the police to ensure that action is taken.