The Carer’s Post

The CQC has changed the way it regulates all health and social care providers. Here’s what you need to know. ⬇️ #MIPPracticeIntelligence #generalpractice

How are you finding the Single Assessment Framework so far?

Government release interim report which identifies significant failings with the effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission - amongst the failings identified were low inspection levels, inspectors lacking necessary expertise, inconsistency in assessments and issues with CQC’s IT systems | Find out more: https://ow.ly/wnzq50SKOWg #CQC #CareQualityCommission #CareSector #SocialCare #Healthcare

CQC has been deemed as ‘not fit for purpose’ – no real shock there! Health and social care providers have been raising their concerns for some time. The report highlights significant failings, which demonstrate CQC is in need of urgent reform and improvement. We’ve seen first-hand how inconsistent assessments; delays in updating ratings; and prolonged registration timelines have massively impacted our clients and their businesses. Time will tell whether CQC actually take action to implement the required recommendations… #CQC #CareQualityCommission #socialcare #healthcare #caresector #adultsocialcare

Since 11 March 2024, Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration has been a requirement for those sponsoring care workers under the Health and Care Worker provisions. CQC registration was introduced by the former Conservative government in their plans to cut net migration, presumably on the basis that it may prevent organisations from being able to secure registration and sponsor care workers. Is CQC regulation what the Home Office expected it to be - is it difficult for organisations to secure registration? In our recent blog, along with my colleagues in the Healthcare Regulation & Defence team here at JMW Solicitors LLP, we consider a recent report which revealed significant failings within the operations of CQC. #immigration #SponsorLicence #HealthcareRegulation #CQC Jonathon Enston Mark Copparelli Evan Wright

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CQC INSPECTIONS IN CRISIS Last week a report was published that left me absolutely appalled. It highlighted major failings within the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the body responsible for regulating health and social care services in England. These revelations are not just shocking; they’re downright scary for anyone relying on these services. One of the most jaw-dropping facts is that local authorities have only just started being inspected. Seriously, why has it taken so long? Hospitals, dentists, and social care providers have been undergoing regular inspections for years. This raises some serious questions about accountability and oversight. How have these crucial entities been allowed to operate without the same rigorous scrutiny? The CQC’s lack of support for providers is another massive issue. Over the years, I’ve contacted them numerous times for assistance, and the wait times for a response have been as long as 4-6 weeks. This is simply unacceptable, especially considering the hefty fees that providers pay. New providers have it even worse. Two years ago when setting up a new registration, I remember the waiting list was over 16 weeks with no guarantees.  How are providers supposed to survive without clients, especially when they can’t legally take on those needing personal care without CQC registration? The interim report by Dr. Penny Dash (chair of the North West London Integrated Care Board) highlights the urgent need for comprehensive reform within the CQC. The report highlights not only the lack of inspections and outdated ratings but also a troubling lack of clinical expertise among inspectors. The government has taken steps to address these issues, such as appointing Professor Sir Mike Richards to review CQC assessment frameworks and increasing oversight. These steps are just a start. The CQC needs a big change to win back trust and make sure it can really keep people safe. As someone deeply invested in the quality and safety of care, I believe these revelations about the CQC’s failings are a wake-up call for everyone involved in health and social care services. We need to see changes, and fast. More to come on this. #care #careconsultancy #cqc #inspections

There are 315 healthcare services in the U.K.. rated INADEQUATE. ⚠ 🛑 A staggering 218 have missed the CQC’s 6-month threshold of re-inspection. But shockingly, that's NOT THE WORST PART - of these - 90 have been awaiting a re-inspection for OVER 12 MONTHS. That's right - 90 services CONDEMNED to INADEQUATE have been left for over a year!   How can the CQC justify such an approach to their practice that clearly fails to uphold the very principles they should be championing?   The CQC's policies on re-inspection are distressingly vague. The timelines for re-inspection are alarmingly inconsistent. They aim to reassess services that are "Inadequate" within 6 months. Yet, seemingly have failed to reinspect 218 services? 🤔   Is the risk no longer prevalent? Are people safe? Are the CQC assured? How can they possibly be, without having stepped across a service’s threshold?   But what is the cost of this delay?    This delay not only hampers the morale of staff but can also perpetuate a negative perception that might no longer be deserved.   The Human Cost The delay in re-inspections raises several poignant questions: (i) Accountability Who holds the CQC accountable for timely re-inspections, especially when significant improvements are evident?   (ii) Morale and Perception How does an outdated "Inadequate" rating affect the morale of healthcare professionals and the service users? Delays in re-inspection can create a self-fulfilling prophecy where staff morale declines, potentially affecting the quality of care despite the improvements made.   (iii) Transparency and Fairness  Is the CQC's current approach to re-inspections transparent and fair to all healthcare providers?   Many of these 218 services seeking CQC re-inspection, are eagerly waiting to provide evidential assurance that they have improved and do keep people safe WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE WOULD EVER REACH THE POSITION OF ASKING THE CQC TO INSPECT AND GETTING NO RESPONSE   Your thoughts please? We want to hear from you, our LinkedIn community 📣 💬   As part of the specific steps set out for the CQC to improve performance, identified in Dr Penny Dash’s interim report, should the CQC leave services rated as INADEQUATE for over a year?    What steps do you think should be taken to ensure a more transparent and accountable inspection process and re-establish the sector’s long-eroded trust?   I’ve received numerous DMs on this matter, which is why I feel compelled to share this post. Some providers feel unable to voice concerns publicly, out of fear they would antagonise the CQC and be penalised. This is not the way, it should be in a society like ours!   Your insights are invaluable, please share your comments below 👇   and please share this post to raise awareness.  🔄 📢   *The comments and views are those of the author and not of Eleanor Hospital*. #HealthcareInnovation #PatientSafety #CQC #QualityImprovement

CQC Responds To Reviews By Dr Penny Dash And Professor Sir Mike Richards The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has welcomed 2 important reviews that will help to set the future direction for CQC: the final report of Dr Penny Dash’s review and the first report of the independent review by Professor Sir Mike Richards. The regulator has accepted the high-level recommendations of both reports, which identify serious organisational failings, and is taking rapid action in response. CQC has committed to: - Align the organisation around sector expertise by appointing at least 3 chief inspectors to lead on regulation and improvement of hospitals, primary care, and adult social care services. Consideration will also be given to whether a fourth chief inspector is needed to lead on regulation and improvement of mental health services. CQC will support staff to strengthen their own sector knowledge and expertise and will work with its new Chief Executive, Sir Julian Hartley, key stakeholders, and colleagues to review whether any further changes are needed. - Modify the current assessment framework to make it simpler and ensure it is relevant to each sector. This will enable CQC to carry out and report on inspections more quickly. It will retain the 5 key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led) across all sectors, but will amend the 34 quality statements to ensure clarity and remove duplication. CQC will stop scoring individual evidence categories. - Ensure they have the right systems and tools in place to support its regulatory activity. CQC is working to stabilise and fix its regulatory platform and provider portal in the immediate term. While it does this, CQC is exploring options for delivering assessment activity away from the current systems, so that it can rapidly assess, rate, and publish reports for the public. They will ensure these assessments are securely recorded. - Improve the experience for providers registering with CQC. They are urgently reviewing what specific changes are needed to the provider portal to do this. The report from Dr Penny Dash also talks about the need to change assessments of local authorities and integrated care systems, which the regulator welcomes. CQC has agreed: - Local authority assessments will continue with ongoing improvements and continued engagement with the health and care sector. In line with changes to the assessment framework, CQC will make scoring of evidence more transparent, and will strengthen its focus on nationally agreed priorities. - In agreement with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) CQC has paused its assessments of integrated care systems for 6 months. This is to free up capacity to carry out more assessments of providers and enable the regulator to modify its current assessment framework. - We will work with bodies that represent providers to improve our processes and strengthen arrangements for peer involvement of expert reviewers and advisors. In the…

Final April 2024 Interim Performance Reports (IPRs) Now Available! The Final April 2024 Interim Performance Reports (IPRs) are now accessible through iQIES. These reports can be found in the “HHA Provider Preview Reports” folder and are organized by the CMS Certification Number (CCN) assigned to each HHA. Key Points: Availability: Each provider with more than one CCN will have a corresponding report for each. Updates: The Final IPR includes changes from approved recalculation requests and revisions to HHVBP claims-based measures due to recent data system updates. Supersession: The Final IPR replaces the Preliminary IPR once published. Contact BC Healthcare Consulting for assistance in retrieving, deciphering and strategizing for improved performance! #Healthcare #HHANews #PerformanceReports #CMS #homehealth #IPR #excellence