The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has announced it is to delay the introduction of its new adult care assessments.
Originally due to be implemented next month, the rollout has been pushed back to the end of 2023 following a 'full review of our timeline’.
Under the Health and Care Act, the CQC has been tasked with reviewing and assessing the performance of councils’ adult social care duties.
The CQC said the delay was designed to give providers 'time to prepare for the changes’ and for the watchdog to spend more time on testing and development.
Members of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care were among those suggesting inspections should be delayed.
Most adult care services are currently unable to respond to their statutory responsibilities due to demand pressures, according to the Local Government Association.
A CQC spokesperson said: ‘We want to drive improvements across the health and care system, helping to tackle health inequalities.
‘But we need to make sure that we’re able to do this as smoothly as possible, particularly as providers continue to experience persistent pressures.’
This article was originally published by The MJ (£).
