Regulation 3 Amendment of the Nurses Agencies Regulations 2002

The Nurses Agencies Regulations 2002^f1 are amended in accordance with the following provisions of this regulation.

In regulation 2 (interpretation), in paragraph (1), after the definition of “registered provider”, insert—

• ““representative” means, in relation to a service user, a person, other than the registered person or a person employed by the agency, who with the service user’s express or implied consent, takes an interest in the service user’s health and welfare;”.

For regulation 19 (review of quality of service provision), substitute—

“Assessment of quality of services

19

(1)

The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for evaluating the quality of the services provided by the agency.

(2)

At the request of the Commission, the registered person shall supply to it a report, based upon the system referred to in paragraph (1), which describes the extent to which, in the reasonable opinion of the registered person, the agency—

(a)

provides good quality services for service users;

(b)

takes the views of service users and their representatives into account in deciding—

(i)

what services to offer to them, and

(ii)

the manner in which such services are to be provided; and

(c)

has responded to recommendations made or requirements imposed by the Commission in relation to the agency over the period specified in the request.

(3)

The report referred to in paragraph (2) shall be supplied to the Commission within one month of the receipt by the agency of the request referred to in that paragraph, and in the form and manner required by the Commission.

(4)

The report shall also contain details of the measures that the registered person considers it necessary to take in order to improve the quality and delivery of the services provided by the agency.

(5)

The system referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with service users and their representatives.”.

After regulation 19, insert—

“Improvement plan

19A

(1)

If requested to do so by the Commission, the registered person shall produce a plan (the improvement plan) setting out the methods by which, and the timetable to which, the registered person intends to improve the services provided by the agency.

(2)

The registered person shall provide a written copy of the improvement plan to the Commission within one month of receipt of the request referred to in paragraph (1).

(3)

A copy of the plan shall be made available to service users and their representatives.”.