The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection framework has recently undergone significant updates for 2024, offering new challenges and opportunities for UK health and social care providers. The CQC regulates a variety of healthcare organisations, including hospitals, care homes, general practices, and adult social care services. To assist providers in navigating these changes, we have compiled a CQC inspection checklist that aligns with the latest framework.
How to prepare for a CQC Inspection
To prepare for a CQC inspection under the new framework, you must thoroughly understand the CQC's updated assessment criteria and methods. The new inspection approach focuses on what matters most to people receiving care. Ensure that your care service is compliant and centred around individuals' needs and experiences. Complying with CQC standards is not only a legal requirement but also a demonstration of good practice in delivering healthcare services.
As a care provider, there are several steps you can take to prepare for an inspection:
- Familiarise yourself with the new assessment framework: Use the CQC inspection checklist to prepare your care setting for an inspect. While the five key standards (safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led) have been central to assessments for some time, the new framework places renewed emphasis on these standards. It also introduces a four-point rating scale (outstanding, good, requires improvement, and inadequate) and specific quality statements accompanying each key question.
- Understand the evidence categories: The Care Quality Commission has made its judgments more consistent by categorising six types of evidence. These include feedback from people using the service, staff and leaders, partners, observations, processes, and outcomes. Providers should be prepared to demonstrate compliance and quality care across these evidence categories.
- Reflect on 'I Statements': The CQC's assessment framework includes 'I statements' that reflect what people have said matters to them in their care experience. Align your services with these statements to ensure that the care delivered resonates with the needs and preferences of those you serve.
- Stay updated and engaged: Keeping informed about the latest updates and guidelines is crucial as the new assessments are rolled out.
The CQC 5 Standards
In addition to the new components of the framework, it's essential to recognise the CQC's five key standards, as they provide a solid foundation for assessing and delivering excellence in healthcare services. The CQC 5 Standards include:
- Safe: Examines how services protect individuals from abuse and harm, including environmental safety and medication management.
- Effective: This focuses on achieving good outcomes and quality of life based on evidence-based practice, involving staff competence in safe and effective care delivery.
- Caring: Assesses staff's compassion, respect, and empathy, involving dignity and involvement in care decisions.
- Responsive: Looks at how services meet people's needs, including personalisation of care, timeliness, and adaptability to changing needs.
- Well-led: Evaluates leadership, management, and governance, ensuring transparency and a culture of excellence.
What to expect from a CQC Inspection
Under the new framework, there will be significant differences in how the CQC assesses care providers. The inspection team will conduct focused inspections, extensively using information, including people's experiences, and gather evidence in various ways, not just through inspections. This approach means that inspections will contribute to a comprehensive evidence-gathering process.
The key differences from the current assessment model include:
- Gathering Evidence: The CQC will use various sources to support their judgments, making inspections part of a broader evidence-gathering process.
- Frequency of Assessments: Assessments will no longer be solely driven by the service's previous rating. Evidence collected or information received at any time can trigger an assessment.
- Assessing Quality: Judgments about quality will be made more regularly, using evidence from multiple sources. The CQC will consider quality statements more structurally and transparently, providing scores for findings. This approach will offer a more precise decision about ratings
CQC Inspection Guidance
Implementing key strategies can help you navigate the new CQC inspection checklist process successfully, ensuring comprehensive inspections of care services:
- In-depth Preparation: Immerse your service in the CQC's standards, ensuring practices are exemplary. Collaborate with local authorities and integrated care systems when necessary to achieve the highest standards of care.
- Robust Record-Keeping: Maintain comprehensive records that narrate your service's journey towards excellence.
- Active Engagement: Regularly engage with staff and service users for insights to shape your care approach.
- Highlighting Strengths: Use the inspection to showcase innovative practices and exceptional care initiatives.
- Constructive Feedback Response: View the inspection as an opportunity for growth, responding proactively to feedback.
- Focused Action Plan Post-Inspection: Develop a clear, actionable plan for any areas of improvement, regularly updated to reflect progress.
By adopting this focused approach, care providers can confidently demonstrate their dedication to delivering high quality care during CQC inspections.
The future of CQC Inspections
The CQC is gradually rolling out its new single assessment framework across England, which began in the South region in November 2023. This phased implementation will introduce a new era of assessments, focusing on flexibility and responsiveness. The new framework will assess providers based on a set of priority quality statements that reflect risks and service improvements. By mid-2024, the Commission plans to publish a detailed schedule for planned assessments, marking a significant transition in its approach to regulation.
Comprehensive training is of utmost importance for achieving and maintaining outstanding CQC ratings. Flourish provides a wide range of courses specifically designed to align with CQC standards, ensuring your team is well-prepared for inspections and equipped to deliver exceptional care every day.
Explore our health and social care courses and take a significant step towards achieving and maintaining outstanding CQC ratings.
