5th October 2009
Support our case for a Care Quality Commission Special Review
In August, the Alliance submitted a case to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) into for a Special Review of the services for people with a neurological condition. You can read our full submission here. The CQC officers have now put forward a case for a neurological Special Review, alongside others, to the CQC Board. This may be considered at their 15 October meeting, or, if not, on 29 November. If successful, it will be shortlisted and put out to public consultation.
We are asking all of our member organisations to write to Baroness Young, Chair of the Care Quality Commission, or Cynthia Bowers, Chief Executive, to support the idea of a review into neurological services. If you have already written, please accept our thanks. Your letters could make a real difference to acheiving a Review. Please write before 15 October to ensure that your letter arrives before the relevant Board meeting.
In summary our case for a Special Review is that:
- Over eight million people in England live with a neurological condition – a Review could impact on a very large number of people
- The needs of people with a neurological condition cut accross health and social care and fit well with the remit of the new Care Quality Commission
- Whilst there are examples of excellent services, there is not equity
- Where services are weak or disjointed there can be catastrophic effects
- Neurological conditions are rarely prioritised – a Review would raise awareness and stimulate change
As well as writing yourself, you may wish to ask your patrons or parliamentarians with a special interest to write. If you have strong links with an APPG, perhaps you could ask the Chair to write in support?
As well as a general review into services for people with a neurological condition, member organisations of the Alliance have succeeded in ensuring that cases for Special Reviews into epilepsy and dementia services will also being evaluated. There seems a good chance that the needs and experiences of people with a neurological condition will be soon addressed by CQC.
Baroness Young’s e-mail address is: barbara.young@cqc.org.uk
Cynthia Bower’s email address is: cynthia.bower@cqc.org.uk
Their office address is:
Care Quality Commission
National Correspondence
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
If you have any enquiries, please email admin@neural.org.uk