By Gabi Ashton and Alistair Mitchell
The role of the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
is to register, monitor, inspect and rate all health and social care service providers in England.The CQC are looking to see that Registered Services are providing care and treatment that is Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-Led – otherwise known as the Key Lines of Enquiry. Essentially, these are the five questions that CQC inspectors will always ask when carrying out inspections, to help decide what they need to focus on going forward.
Furthermore, the CQC also have additional responsibilities under the Mental Health Act and will be looking to see that, where relevant, Registered Services are compliant.What Are the CQC Fundamental Standards?
Another key focus of the CQC is that the Fundamental Standards, outlined in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and Care Quality Commission Registration Regulations, are being met. The Fundamental Standards are the standards that everybody has the right to receive and below which your care must never fall.
The CQC expect Registered Services to provide Person Centred Care and treat people with Dignity and Respect; to manage Consent in line with legislation and ensure that people are Safe, including Safeguarding people from abuse. They will also expect Registered Services to appropriately receive and respond to Complaints and ensure that where applicable, they follow the principles of Duty of Candour.
The CQC expect Registered Services to consider the needs of the person when designing and maintaining their Premises and Equipment. They also want to ensure people are receiving adequate Nutrition and Hydration where applicable.What About Employing the Right Staff?
The CQC will expect that Registered Providers only employ ‘fit and proper’ staff who can provide care and treatment appropriate to their role.
Providers must ensure they have robust recruitment procedures in place, and that the quality assurance systems in place ensure the ongoing monitoring of staff competency.What Does the CQC Expect of the Registered Manager?
The CQC are also looking to ensure that the Registered Manager has effective governance systems in place to ensure the quality and safety of their service is always maintained. This includes being honest and transparent with the CQC and other stakeholders about incidents that impact on people receiving care and treatment.
The CQC will also expect to receive a complete PIR, annually, to provide information about the running of the service.Good Governance
Good governance systems must also allow for a Registered Service to provide data and information to the CQC as and when this is requested, to allow the CQC to monitor the day to day running of the service.
The aim for any Registered Provider is to meet the requirements to a level that demonstrates they are Good, whilst always being ambitious and aiming to be Outstanding.
To find out more about how the Care 4 Quality. team can help you and your organisation to meet the expectations of the CQC and to achieve these objectives in the long-term, contact us today.
