Social care inspectors have pledged to speed up action against poor-performing care providers and strengthen their links with councils. The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) has unveiled seven new regional enforcement teams. They will notify councils of poorly-performing care services in their areas, with the recommendation not to use them. Councils will also be informed when an operator, such as a care home owner, has been served with legally-binding requirements to improve. The teams, led by senior inspectors, will also speed up enforcement proceedings to close providers which fail to overhaul services within a set time limit. By encouraging authorities not to contract services from providers with poor standards, the inspectorate hopes rogue operators will be driven out of the market. The inspectorate also revealed it will improve the amount of information it gives to authorities. CSCI chair, Dame Denise Platt, said: ‘The new teams will allow us to be more effective at tackling poor providers, not just in responding to concerns, but also being clearer about when, and how long, providers should be given time to improve before taking enforcement action.' The inspectorate also announced it was lobbying the Government for new legal powers to tackle specific breaches of standards which did not merit closing a care home. Dame Denise said: ‘We are now also seeking additional powers of prosecution in those situations where there have been serious breaches of the regulations, or where the safety or care of people has been compromised, but where the situation does not necessarily meet the criteria for urgent action or closure to take place.'
