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<p>The intention of this Act is to improve patient safety and the quality of care
through three measures; reducing harm in care, continuity of information and the objectives
of professional regulation. Progress varies on each of the measures.</p><p> </p><p><em>
</em></p><p> </p><p>Section 1 of the Act makes clear that the requirements for registration
with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) must secure that services cause no avoidable
harm to patients and service users. The Fundamental Standards which include the new
registration requirements for the CQC, came into force on 1 April 2015, and contain
a requirement on safety. A failure to meet Regulation 12 of these standards will be
an offence; therefore this standard meets the duty on the Secretary of State as set
out in section 1 of the Act.</p><p> </p><p><em> </em></p><p> </p><p>Sections 2 to
4 of the Act impose duties on providers and commissioners of health and adult social
care services in England to share information, and to use consistent identifiers,
where this is likely to facilitate the provision to the individual of health services
or adult social care, and is in the individual’s best interests.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p>Regulations will be made to provide that the prescribed consistent identifier
is the NHS Number, and to dis-apply the duties to share information, and to use consistent
identifiers, from certain bodies. Regulations will be laid later this year.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Guidance will be made available to affected bodies to help
them to comply with the duties.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Section 5 of the Act
and the Schedule seek to give an overarching objective of public protection to the
Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care and seven professional
regulators; the General Chiropractic Council, General Dental Council, General Optical
Council, General Osteopathic Council, Health and Care Professions Council, Nursing
and Midwifery Council and the General Pharmaceutical Council. This objective is based
on the proposals set out by the Law Commissions in their review published in April
2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The commencement of the objectives for the Professional
Standards Authority and these professional regulators will be implemented following
discussions with those bodies which will take place shortly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
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