Inspections, targets, standards and mandatory reporting can make a difference to the quality of healthcare, according to latest research published by The Health Foundation today.
What impact does regulation have on the quality of healthcare? looks at the extent to which regulatory mechanisms impact on the quality of care provided. The most up-to-date information available suggests that further attention should be given to the way the professions are regulated and how patient outcomes data are collected and reported. Findings from the USA also suggest that market forces can have negative consequences for some patients.
“Regulation is expensive," Vin McLoughlin, Director of Programmes and Policy at The Health Foundation, said. "We all need to know whether the radical proposals that are already on the table, such the merger of the Healthcare Commission with the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Chief Medical Officer’s report on the regulation of doctors, will lead to better patient care. This research provides the best available evidence to guide the future direction of regulation.”