Final Report > Chapter 24: A Health Service which is Well Led > The future framework for the regulation of the quality of healthcare > The Regulatory Councils

The Regulatory Councils

47 We see two Councils as the future framework for the regulation of the quality of healthcare: one to bring together and co-ordinate all those processes by which the safety and quality of healthcare are assured in healthcare institutions, and the other (already in `The NHS Plan' ) to bring together and co-ordinate the various bodies concerned with all aspects of the regulation of healthcare professionals. It could be objected that the NHS is not short of organisations and bodies already. While we understand this possible objection, we reject it. First, there is a very great need to resolve the problem of fragmentation of responsibilities for assuring the quality of care within the NHS. The overarching organisations which we propose will achieve this. Secondly, the functions which would be undertaken by the Councils are purportedly already carried out by the DoH. We have suggested that they are not carried out with appropriate vigour, efficiency or independence. That they need to be carried out, however, is clearly recognised. The system we propose would simply do it in an appropriate manner. It may well be that, in time, the separate activities of the two Councils could be combined in just one organisation with two branches: one to cover the regulation of professionals and the other to cover the regulation of healthcare institutions. In the interim, we have no doubt that there should be close collaboration between the Councils.