Commission for Health Improvement (CHI)

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Introduction - What Is it?

The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) is an independent body that is responsible for monitoring standards of care across the NHS.  The creation of the commission was proposed in 1998, in a government consultation document called A First Class Service.  It was officially created following an Act of Parliament: the Health Act 1999.  It started operating on 1st April 2000.

In April 2004, CHI will become CHAI: the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection.  This new body will retain CHI's core functions (as detailed below), but will also take responsibility for some of the work that is currently being done by the National Care Standards Commission, and the Audit Commission.  One important consequence of this reform is that CHAI are set to take over the "second stage" of the NHS Complaints Procedure ("Independent Review" - see our page on NHS Complaints).