ISCAS and Healthcare Regulators
ISCAS is a voluntary Service that independent healthcare providers can subscribe to. It is not a regulator and can only deal with complaints related to providers that have chosen to subscribe to the service, but in practice most private healthcare providers have chosen to subscribe.
ISCAS has subscribing providers across UK and works with the developed healthcare regulators in each country.
In England
ISCAS has signed an Information Sharing Agreement with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) whereby the CQC signposts Patients to ISCAS and information on adjudication reports related to IHPs in England are sent to the CQC. The CQC does not investigate individual patient complaints unless a breach of regulations is believed to have occurred.
In Wales
ISCAS has signed an Operating Protocol with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) whereby the HIW signposts Patients to ISCAS and information on adjudication reports related to IHPs in Wales are sent to HIW.
In Scotland
ISCAS has signed an Information Sharing Agreement with Health Improvement Scotland (HIS). Healthcare Improvement Scotland reserves the right to investigate complaints about an independent healthcare provider at any stage of the complaints procedure.
In Northern Ireland
ISCAS has signed an Information Sharing Agreement with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) and maintains a dialogue regarding relevant information on complaints in the independent sector.