New fundamental care standards announced by government

The Department of Health has announced new legislation that will introduce fundamental standards that health and social care providers will be required to meet.

Subject to parliamentary approval, they will become law in April 2015 and are intended to improve the quality of NHS care and transparency and accountability of service providers.

Under the new rules, care and treatment must be appropriate and reflect service users' needs and preferences, while patients will need to be treated with dignity and respect. Care will only be provided safely and with consent in future, with efforts made to ensure all premises and equipment used are in good order.

Meanwhile, providers will be compelled to ensure all complaints are appropriately investigated and appropriate action taken in response, with sufficient numbers of staff deployed at all times. Personal and professional qualifications will be rigorously checked, and a duty of candour will be put in place.

This comes as part of the government's ongoing response to the Francis Inquiry into care failings at the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and are being introduced following extensive consultations and parliamentary debates.