Overview

The Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Bill aims to improve the safety and quality of health and social care services in England, enhance information sharing between providers, and clarify the objectives of regulatory bodies for health and social care professions.

Description

This bill makes several key changes:

• Harm-free care: Amends the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to explicitly require the Secretary of State to impose regulations ensuring that health and social care services cause no avoidable harm. This includes clarifying what constitutes "avoidable harm".
• Continuity of information: Introduces consistent identifiers (like unique numbers or codes) for individuals receiving health and social care in England, to improve information sharing between providers. This requires the sharing of this information where deemed necessary and in the patient's best interest, subject to data protection regulations and patient consent.
• Duty to share information: Mandates information sharing between relevant health and social care commissioners and providers, aiming to facilitate better service provision, again subject to data protection laws and patient consent.
• Objectives of regulators: Clarifies the objectives of regulatory bodies for health and social care professions, emphasizing the protection of the public as the overarching goal. This includes specific objectives like promoting public confidence and maintaining professional standards.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify direct government spending figures. However, implementing the regulations and changes required by the bill will likely involve some administrative costs for the government and relevant bodies.

Groups Affected

• Patients: Will benefit from safer services and improved information sharing, potentially leading to better coordinated care. However, there are privacy concerns related to data sharing.
• Health and social care providers: Will need to comply with new regulations regarding harm-free care and information sharing, potentially incurring administrative costs.
• Regulatory bodies: (e.g., General Medical Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council) will need to adapt their practices to reflect the new objectives outlined in the bill.
• Data protection agencies: Will play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with data protection laws related to information sharing.

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