Final Report > Chapter 27: Care of an Appropriate Standard > Recent developments > Confusion as to the availability of standards

Confusion as to the availability of standards

17 Although the task of setting national standards has begun, uncertainty is created in those areas of healthcare for which, currently, there are no national standards. The public are left uncertain as to whether there are any standards for the care and treatment of their particular condition, or whether such standards as may have been produced by a Royal College, or on some local initiative, are appropriate. There is a danger that conditions which are not categorised as `national priorities' may be given too little attention. And, of course, where there is no standard, there is no agreed benchmark against which to monitor performance and learn lessons.

18 Hence, we consider that a timetable over the short, medium and long term should be published, and revised periodically, for the development of national clinical standards, so that the public may be consulted and kept aware of those areas of healthcare which are covered by such standards and those which will be covered in the future. Target dates should be set by which clinical standards will have been prepared for all major conditions and illnesses.