The relationship between staff and service users will be at the heart of the revised quality rating system run by the Care Quality Commission.

After suspending the awarding quality ratings in June, the CQC is expected to have a new system in place in May. Proposals for the new quality rating system are expected to be unveiled ready for consultation before the end of the year.

All of those working in social care jobs were required to register with the CQC by the 1st October and were asked to show that they met basic standards of care.

Jo Williams chair of the CQC told Community Care: "We need to concentrate on the things that are important to people: how engaged are they, are they treated with respect, do they have plenty of choice and are they treated as an individual."

"The challenge for us is how to differentiate between the different levels of service above that minimum standard," she added.

Although it was clear the CQC would regulate the service quality in health and social care, Williams did not envisage it also being used to oversee proposed GP commissioning arrangements for health and social care.

In the government's health White Paper it was proposed to abolish primary care trusts, giving GPs responsibility for commissioning health and some social care services. However, critics of the plan have said they believe it will lead to the system being less accountable.

Williams said the CQC would not include GP's commissioning responsibilities in the registration process which is expected to begin in 2012.

"I don't want to see us stretched to the point where we can't add value to the system," she said.