BURSTOW CHALLENGES CARE REGULATOR OVER UNFAIR FEES

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 4th Oct 2009

Local MP, Paul Burstow, used a one to one meeting with the Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission, Cynthia Bowyer, at his party Conference to raise unfair fee charges for a charity that provides a dialysis service that allows people with kidney disease to take a holiday.

Mr Burstow is lobbying Ministers in the Department of Health and officials in the CQC to change their charging policy so that the Charing Cross Holiday Dialysis Trust is not treated as a hospital and charged £2350 per annum. The Chairman of the Trust, Dr Gower, contacted Mr Burstow to enlist his help.

Mr Burstow explained to Cynthia Bowyer that the charity should not be categorised as a hospital because it does not provide any inpatient services. He also pointed out that last year despite being charged to register the service was not inspected.

Commenting Paul Burstow MP said, "The Charing Cross Dialysis Trust provided welcome breaks for people who cannot live without dialysis. It is often the only break they can have and is a life line for families. The service benefits families right across this part of London. There has been a real sense that Dr Gower, the Chairman of the Charity, has been banging his head against a brick wall.

"The ball is now in the Care Quality Commissions court. I hope that Cynthia Bowyer will now take a serious look at the issue and that a fair and common sense solution can be found that does not overload this charity with the cost of regulation."

ENDS