Here at Care 4 Quality., we deliver exceptional support to healthcare providers nationally to ensure they are fully compliant with the CQC, delivering industry-leading registration support, bespoke policies and procedures, and compliance software.
The CQC have been slowly releasing information about the New Strategy, and have now announced their Quality Statements, a fundamental part of the new Single Assessment Framework due to launch next year.
Under the new framework, the CQC will still inspect services through the 5 Key Questions: Safe, Caring, Effective, Responsive, Well-Led. However, where these are each currently assessed through the Key Lines of Enquiry, Prompts, and Rating Characteristics, they will instead be assessed under the newly published ‘Quality Statements’.
To prepare your service for assessment under this new Framework, you can use our QPol clinically produced, bespoke policies and procedures. As the CQC shift to more remote inspection methods, there will be an increased focus on providers’ Policies and Procedures as a method of assessment.
Our industry leading policies are regularly updated by our exceptional clinical team in line with all changes in CQC regulation, meaning you’ll have a suite of policies that you can trust to be both high-quality and fully compliant with the new framework.
These are delivered through iBenchmark, purpose-built Care 4 Quality. software where all your Policies and Procedures are stored. The use of iBenchmark provides evidence to the CQC that you are not only up to date with the evolving strategy, but that you are also utilising modern technologies – a focal point of the New Strategy.
For hands-on preparation, you can also attend one of our national training events, delivered by the former CQC National Training Manager and a CQC Inspector: ‘Understanding the New CQC Assessment Framework and How to Achieve Outstanding’ to prepare your for the change.
Please find the key questions released by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
“Key Question: SAFE
Safety is a priority for everyone. People should always be safe and protected from bullying, harassment, avoidable harm, neglect, abuse and discrimination. Their liberty is protected where this is in their best interests and in line with legislation.
- Learning culture
We have a proactive and positive culture of safety based on openness and honesty, in which concerns about safety are listened to, safety events are investigated and reported thoroughly, and lessons are learned to continually identify and embed good practices. - Safe systems, pathways and transitions
We work with people and our partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety is managed, monitored and assured. We ensure continuity of care, including when people move between different services. - Safeguarding
We work with people to understand what being safe means to them as well as with our partners on the best way to achieve this. We concentrate on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. We make sure we share concerns quickly and appropriately. - Involving people to manage risks
We work with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically so that care meets their needs in a way that is safe and supportive and enables them to do the things that matter to them. - Safe environments
We detect and control potential risks in the care environment. We make sure that the equipment, facilities and technology support the delivery of safe care. - Safe and effective staffing
We make sure there are enough qualified, skilled and experienced people, who receive effective support, supervision and development and work together effectively to provide safe care that meets people’s individual needs. - Infection prevention and control
We assess and manage the risk of infection. We detect and control the risk of it spreading and share any concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. - Medicines optimisation
We make sure that medicines and treatments are safe and meet people’s needs, capacities and preferences by enabling them to be involved in planning, including when changes happen.
Key Question: Effective
People and communities have the best possible outcomes because their needs are assessed. Their care, support and treatment reflect these needs and any protected equality characteristics. Everyone is supported to see what works well and not so well based on indicators of quality. Continuous improvement is always guided by this insight
- Assessing needs
We maximise the effectiveness of people’s care and treatment by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. - Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
We plan and deliver people’s care and treatment with them, including what is important and matters to them. We do this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards. - How staff, teams and services work together
We work effectively across teams and services to support people. We make sure they only need to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when they move between different services. - Supporting people to live healthier lives
We support people to manage their health and wellbeing so they can maximise their independence, choice and control. We support them to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support. - Monitoring and improving outcomes
We routinely monitor people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. We ensure that outcomes are positive and consistent, and that they meet both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves. - Consent to care and treatment
We tell people about their rights around consent and respect these when we deliver person-centred care and treatment.
Key Question: Caring
People are always treated with kindness, empathy, and compassion. They are supported to live as independently as possible. Their privacy and dignity are respected. Every effort is made to take their wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.
- Kindness, compassion and dignity
We always treat people with kindness, empathy and compassion and we respect their privacy and dignity. We treat colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. - Treating people as individuals
We treat people as individuals and make sure their care, support and treatment meets their needs and preferences. We take account of their strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. - Independence, choice and control
We promote people’s independence, so they know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. - Responding to people’s immediate needs
We listen to and understand people’s needs, views and wishes. We respond to these in that moment and will act to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. - Workforce wellbeing and enablement
We care about and promote the wellbeing of our staff, and we support and enable them to always deliver person centred care.
Key Question: Responsive
People and communities are at the centre of how care is planned and delivered at all times. Their health and care needs are understood and they are actively involved in planning care that meets these needs. Care, support, and treatment are easily accessible, including physical access. People can access care in ways that meet their circumstances and protected equality characteristics
- Person-centred care
We make sure people are at the centre of their care and treatment choices and we decide, in partnership with them, how to respond to any relevant changes in their needs. - Care provision, integration, and continuity
We understand the diverse health and care needs of people and our local communities, so care is joined-up, flexible and supports choice and continuity. - Providing information
We provide appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that we tailor to individual needs. - Listening to and involving people
We make it easy for people to share feedback and ideas or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. We involve them in decisions about their care and tell them what’s changed as a result. - Equity in access
We make sure that everyone can access the care, support and treatment they need when they need it. - Equity in experiences and outcomes
We actively seek out and listen to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes. We tailor the care, support and treatment in response to this. - Planning for the future
We support people to plan for important life changes, so they can have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.
Key Question: Well-Led
There is an inclusive and positive culture of continuous learning and improvement. This is based on meeting the needs of people who use services and wider communities. There are effective governance and management systems in place. Leaders proactively support staff and collaborate with partners to deliver care. This care is safe, integrated, person-centred and sustainable care and helps reduce inequalities.
Shared direction and culture: We have a shared vision, strategy and culture. This is based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and our communities in order to meet these.
- Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders:We have inclusive leaders at all levels who understand the context in which we deliver care, treatment and support and embody the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. They have the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They do so with integrity, openness and honesty.
- Freedom to speak up:We foster a positive culture where people feel that they can speak up and that their voice will be heard.
- Governance, management and sustainability:We have clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. We use these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. We act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and we share this securely with others when appropriate.
- Partnerships and communities:We understand our duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so our services work seamlessly for people. We share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement.
- Learning, improvement and innovation:We focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across our organisation and the local system. We encourage creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. We actively contribute to safe, effective practice and research.
- Environmental sustainability – sustainable development:We understand any negative impact of our activities on the environment and we strive to make a positive contribution in reducing it and support people to do the same.
- Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion:We value diversity in our workforce. We work towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for us.”
More to know
- Until this is introduced next year, the current CQC assessment framework will continue to be used for inspection.
- The new Single Assessment Framework also means a change in the way services are inspected.
- Assessment will be more flexible – not being tied to set dates based on previous rating.
- Evidence will be collected from a larger range of sources, moving away from assessment exclusively from the ‘on the day’ inspection.
- The CQC will be carrying out an increased number of remote inspections.
- They will produce shorter and simpler reports.
- We are still awaiting further information about the New Strategy
- The New Strategy is currently being trialled and the CQC report it is due to launch in January 2023.
