Who are the CSCI or CHAI?

As of 1 April 2004, two new inspectorates replace the National Care Standards Commission

Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI)

The Commission for Social Care Inspection brings together the work previously undertaken by the Social Services Inspectorate, the SSI/ Audit Commission joint review team and the social care functions of the National Care Standards Commission.

The Inspectorate will:

• Carry out local inspections of all social care organisations - public, private, and voluntary (including all users of laser and Intense Pulsed Light Sources )- against national standards and publish reports;
• Register services that meet national minimum standards;
• Carry out inspections of local social service authorities;
• Publish an annual report to Parliament on national progress on social care and an analysis of where resources have been spent;
• Validate all published performance assessment statistics on social care;
• Publish the star ratings for social services authorities.

Go to the CSCI website: www.csci.org.uk

Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI)

CHAI (Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection) encompasses all of the current and proposed work of the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) and the Mental Health Act Commission (MHAC), the national NHS value for money work of the Audit Commission, and the independent healthcare work of the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC).

The Inspectorate will:

• Encourage improvement in the quality and effectiveness of care, and in the economy and efficiency of its provision;
• Inspect the management, provision and quality of health care services and tracking where, and how well, public resources are being used;
• Carry out investigations into serious service failures;
• Report serious concerns about the quality of public services to the Secretary of State;
• Publish annual performance ratings for all NHS organisations and produce annual reports to Parliament on the state of healthcare;
• Collaborate with other relevant organisations including the CSCI;
• Carry out an independent review function for NHS complaints.

Go to the CHAI website: www.chai.org.uk