A quarter of NHS services in England do not meet all the essential standards of quality and safety according to the Care Quality Commission’s first full performance analysis based on unannounced inspections.1

The independent regulator says problems to do with staffing are a key driving factor behind NHS services failing to comply with the government’s standards.

The commission carried out inspections at over 14 000 locations in the NHS, independent hospitals, adult social care, and dental providers between the start of the new regulatory system and 31 March 2012. It found that 77% of NHS services, 72% of adult social care, and 82% of independent healthcare services were meeting all government standards.

The regulator has published its “comprehensive snapshot,” the first of a series of quarterly publications that aims to track performance across all sectors and flag up issues …