Welsh GP regulator Healthcare Inspectorate Wales has detailed its new NHS Service of Concern process.

The most significant change relates to how ‘services of concern’ are described. From now on, in external communications, such services will be known as a ‘service requiring significant improvement’. The HIW website will include an explanation of the reasons underpinning this determination. The term, ’service of concern’, will be reserved for the process rather than the outcome of the process.

In a winter update, HIW also announced a move away from unannounced inspections for ‘green’ and elective, scheduled pathways. Relevant services will now have 24 hours’ notice of an inspection. There will still be unannounced inspections for services felt to present an extremely high risk to patient safety.

HIW also confirms that its new three-year strategy will be published in March 2022.