Nuffield Trust: response to announcement on 'Ofsted-style' ratings for health and social care

Nuffield Trust Chief Executive, Dr Jennifer Dixon responds to the Secretary of State for Health's announcement that 'Ofsted-style' performance ratings will be introduced for hospitals and care homes.

Press release

Published: 26/03/2013

Commenting in response to the Secretary of State for Health’s announcement today that ‘Ofsted-style’ performance ratings will be introduced for hospitals and care homes, Nuffield Trust Chief Executive, Dr Jennifer Dixon CBE said: 

"The analysis we published in our review showed there is a clear gap in information for the public – too often patients and users of social care are left in the dark about the quality of health and social care. 

"Getting this right is no simple task though, and it will be a more complex challenge to introduce a single summary score for hospitals as Ofsted does for schools. 

"That doesn't mean it can't be done – just that there are many conditions that would be necessary to fully realise the benefits ratings could deliver. We therefore welcome the Government’s recognition of the complexities involved.  

'Ultimately, the real prize is not finding a single summary rating for hospitals at large, but rather rating individual wards, departments and clinical services within hospitals as this is more likely to be of value to patients. We again welcome the Government’s vision of making this a reality in hospitals up and down the country.

"We will play our part in supporting the Department of Health, Care Quality Commission, professional and patient bodies and others in taking this forward.”

The Nuffield Trust will respond in more detail shortly to the other elements of the Government’s response to the Francis Inquiry. 

Today’s announcement follows the publication on Friday 22 March of the Nuffield Trust report: Rating providers for quality: a policy worth pursuing?  

The review was commissioned by The Rt. Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Health, who asked Dr Jennifer Dixon and the Nuffield Trust to carry out a review of aggregate assessment of providers of health and social care in England. 

The review considered whether the Government should introduce 'Ofsted-style' performance ratings for hospitals, general practices, care homes and other social care providers. 

Comments