1.1: Service Standards
Giving people guarantees to high quality public services that are at the centre of their lives, driving up standards Other Information:
Commitments: driving up standards by empowering citizens with guarantees to high-quality public services -- in health, we
are introducing new guarantees in the NHS9 Constitution, including an entitlement to be treated within 18 weeks and seen in
two weeks for urgent referrals for cancer, or for the NHS to offer the option of going private. This means that patients will
be clear about the level of service they have the right to expect and will be able to access alternative provision if standards
fall short. We will also introduce an entitlement to a health check every five years for 40–74 year olds, starting in April
2012. These complement the commitments we set out in Building Britain’s Future for the further transformation of maternity
services to ensure they are better able to offer personalised support throughout pregnancy – offering greater control and
choice for all women. And in the coming months we will also bring forward proposals to extend the choices which patients have
to receive their care at home, in comfort and with the support of their family, and in a way which suits them and their personal
circumstances. We will publish our detailed plans for a National Care Service in early 2010, which will include proposals
for new entitlements and rights for social care. in education, new guarantees for pupils and parents were first set out in
the Schools White Paper in June, which we will underpin through legislation in the Children, Schools and Families Bill. Core
guarantees include: • one-to-one tuition for the children who are falling behind10 in reading, writing and maths by the age
of seven and who are unlikely to catch up by the time they leave primary school; and one-to-one or small group tuition for
any pupil who does not master the basics and reach expected national standards in English or maths by the time they leave
primary school. • A personal tutor for every secondary school pupil who will be the named point of contact between the parent
and the school. • A school leavers’ entitlement – the September Guarantee – giving all 16 and 17 year olds the guarantee of
a suitable place in education or training. Where parents and pupils do not receive these new guarantees, parents will be able
to seek redress through the Local Government Ombudsman. We are also legislating so that local authorities will be required
to survey all parents of Year 6 children in their area and assess their satisfaction with the range and quality of secondary
schools. Where there are high levels of dissatisfaction, local authorities will be required to respond with plans for improvement,
potentially including expansion of good schools or, depending on the availability of capital, the establishment of entirely
new schools. in policing and justice we have set out plans in the Policing White Paper to strengthen accountability and redress
if entitlements are not met. From March 2010, Police Report Cards will be available online, giving the public a clear view
of the quality of policing in their area – including, for the first time, access to information below force level on a quarterly
basis. We are also introducing the right to public meetings with senior police officers to address concerns about performance
or other issues. And for repeat victims of crime – including antisocial behaviour – we will be consulting on free access to
legal support to pursue an injunction from the courts if the police and other agencies fail to act in a reasonable timeframe.
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