Exclusive: The Care Quality Commission has asked for a full year's delay for GP registration, and does not now plan to register practices until April 2013, the Government's former primary care tsar has disclosed.
Pulse revealed last month that the CQC had asked ministers to rewrite legislation in order to extend next April's deadline for the registration of GP practices, but in a presentation given by Dr David Colin-Thomé yesterday, it was revealed registration could be put back until April 2013.
The beleaguered regulator has already met with considerable criticism over their handling of the registration of dentists earlier this year, and GP representatives voted at last week's LMCs conference to abolish what they described as a 'thoroughly ineffective' body.
Speaking at the Commissioning Live 2011 event in London, Dr Colin-Thomé told GPs: 'You were meant to be doing this in 2012, but CQC are now requesting that this should be delayed. It won't get stopped but there may be some delay.'
His conference presentation revealed even more, stating: 'There may be some delay. CQC have asked DH to delay registration for a year until April 2013. CQC have delayed releasing guidance for primary medical care.'
Any change to the April 2012 start date for registration would require a change to legislation, which would be subject to consultation and debate before Parliament. A spokesperson for the DH refused to say today whether ministers were seeking a change in legislation to allow the CQC an extension.
A spokesperson for the CQC refused to confirm the extended deadline for GP registration which it had requested, but said a further statement would be issued tomorrow.
Dr David Colin-Thome was speaking at the Commissioning Live 2011 event CQC registration toolkit
Click here to download the BMA's guide to CQC registration
