March 2, 2017

CQC’s next phase of regulation

Registration

• The registration process will be linked to the five key questions, so you can expect new forms and questions when registering a service.
• There will be a firmer approach to registering learning disability providers and greater emphasis on the 'Building the Right Support' guidance, which recommends a maximum of six service users per home.

Inspections

• CQC will continue to inspect against its five key questions but some key lines of enquiry (KLOEs) and ratings characteristics will be revised.
• The importance of services being 'well-led' has also been emphasised. If you have multiple sites, inspectors will focus on leadership at the head office, or the 'guiding mind' across more complex services, and how this affects quality.
• CQC plans to strengthen the assessment of medication systems, processes and practices to ensure proper and safe handling of medicines.

Ratings

• The characteristics that inform ratings will be revised to clarify how they relate to each of the KLOEs and associated prompts. CQC say that this does not, however, represent a shift in the bar that providers must reach for each rating. The intention is to be clearer on what ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’ practices looks like. This will be welcome news, as many providers have told us that they are at a loss to understand why they didn’t receive an ‘Outstanding’ rating, despite a successful inspection and favourable comments by the inspector.

Hospices

• In 2017/18, CQC will start assessing hospices under the healthcare assessment framework, rather than the adult social care framework that is currently used.

If you need advice on CQC registration, challenging CQC inspection reports or enforcement action, please contact James Sage using the details below.


Read more articles in this month's social care bulletin:

- Crack-down on service user contracts?
- Fees & funding in the care sector – could the crisis be averted?
Does self-employed status pose a risk to social care providers?


 

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