Delay to CQC registration for GP practices
DH announces delay to CQC registration for GP practices to April 2013.
On Friday 12th August 2011, we have announced that the registration of GP practices with the Care Quality Commission, has been delayed until April 2013. This decision has been made following a consultation and discussions with the CQC.
A Department of Health spokesperson said:
“The registration of GP practices by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will now take place by April 2013. Out of hours providers that are not GP practices looking after their own patients will be required to register with CQC by April 2012.
“These decisions have been made after discussions with the CQC and a public consultation when 96 per cent of respondents supported the proposal to delay the registration of GP practices by a year. This will enable the CQC time to focus on its core business of providing assurance of safety and quality for patients.”
Background
Registration with the CQC will open in October for providers of NHS primary medical services in ‘out-of-hours’ that are not GP practices. There are no plans to change the scope of regulation - all primary care medical services will have to register with CQC.
Providers of NHS walk-in centres, where out of hours care is not provided, will not be required to register with CQC until April 2013 alongside most other providers of NHS primary medical services.
We will introduce regulations to Parliament in the autumn in order to make these changes to the timing of registration of providers of NHS primary medical services.
CQC statement
“The Care Quality Commission proposed to the Department of Health that GP registration be extended beyond the current deadline of 1 April 2012. We are pleased that after their consultation it has now been agreed that it will be delayed until April 2013, subject to Parliamentary approval.”
“This delay will enable us to make sure that the registration process during 2012/13 is as smooth as possible for GPs. The CQC will be working closely with representative organisations, such as the BMA, NHS Alliance and our own provider reference group, to understand how we can improve the registration process, as well as ensuring that our approach to compliance is as fit-for-purpose for GPs as possible.”