Regulation in primary care.
Professional bodies have long overseen the maintenance of standards of training and practice within the different healthcare professions. Organisational regulation of healthcare in England comprises two main elements: regulation of the quality and safety of care offered by healthcare providers, currently undertaken by the Care Quality Commission (CQC); and regulation of the market in healthcare services, currently the responsibility of Monitor and the Department of Health. The eighth in the series, this article considers the expanding roles of newer bodies, particularly in relation to primary care. The cost-effectiveness of these new arrangements is unknown - and possibly unknowable.
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 2SR, UK. sjg67@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
Steve
S
Gillam
Community and Health Research Unit (CaHRU), Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of Lincoln, UK.
A Niroshan
AN
Siriwardena
D004739:England; D033161:Government Regulation; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D012449:Safety / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence