RCN welcomes the creation of the Care Quality Commission

Published: 31 March 2009

For immediate use: Tuesday 31st March 2009

The Royal College of Nursing today commented on the introduction of the Care Quality Commission, due to assume regulatory powers on April 1st.

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said:

"Patients need to know that wherever they receive their care it is of the highest quality. The Care Quality Commission has an important role in ensuring that all care services are robustly monitored and regulated, and that there is no hiding place for poor care. The recent reports into Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust and elsewhere have shown that patient safety must be at the heart of the Commission's work, and we look forward to working closely with them to improve care for all patients. I wish Baroness Young, Cynthia Bower and their team every success."

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Notes to Editors

For further information, interviews or illustrations please contact the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/media

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses, healthcare assistants and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.