Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Bill [Bill 17 of 2014-15]

This Library briefing paper provides information on the Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Bill, which received its Second Reading on 7 November 2014. It is a Private Members Bill introduced by the MP for Stafford, Jeremy Lefroy, who came fifth in the Private Members’ Bill ballot.

The Bill has three distinct objectives that together seek to improve patient safety. Specifically:

• Clause 1 seeks to ensure that the requirements for health and social care providers registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) cover safety of care;

• Clauses 2, 3 and 4, and Schedule 1, seek to improve the linkage and sharing of patient information between health and social care services to help ensure safer, more effective and integrated care;

• Clauses 5 and Schedule 2 seek to give the various regulators of health and social care professionals an overarching objective of public protection.