Reid confirms Healthcare Commission merger

The Healthcare Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection will merge to form a single organisation by 2008, the Health Secretary John Reid has confirmed.

The merger is in line with the Department of Health’s programme of reducing the number of public bodies under its control.

Dr Reid also confirmed that the children’s social care function of the CSCI would become part of Ofsted under a single children’s services inspectorate.

He said: “Both CSCI and the Healthcare Commission are introducing radical new systems of assessment with our support. The merger will ensure that they can continue to implement these new systems, which are important for patients and the public.”