Jeremy Hunt’s full statement, as well as the parliamentary discussion that followed, can be viewed below. The Health Secretary said that the Government wants to embed a “culture of zero harm” in the NHS, and announced measures including (as per the Department of Health website):
New Ofsted-style ratings for hospitals and care homes overseen by an Independent Chief inspector of Hospitals and Chief Inspector of Social Care.
A statutory duty of candour for organisations which provide care and are registered with the Care Quality Commission.
A review by the NHS Confederation on how to reduce the bureaucratic burden on frontline staff and NHS providers by a third.
A pilot programme which will see nurses working for up to a year as a healthcare assistant as a prerequisite for receiving funding for their degree.
Nurses’ skills being revalidated, as doctors’ are now, and healthcare support workers and adult social care workers having a code of conduct and minimum training standards.