CQC’s Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care, James Bullion, braved a huge crowd at the Care Show and held his own with calm and composure. CQC is making significant efforts to restore trust among health and care providers within the industry. There is a pressing need to implement rapid changes as provider confidence is currently at a low point. Industry leaders are vocal in expressing their concerns, emphasising that the regulator is not adequately fulfilling its purpose.
Dr. Penny Nash’s recommendations have sparked forthcoming changes preceding the final report. The essence of the new Single Assessment Framework revolves around openness and transparency. There is a need to once again inform both services and the public about the upcoming changes they are eager to implement. It seems that there is a repeat of their previous statements::
- A clear and transparent programme of assessments and ratings
- Quicker and more effective registration and assessment of providers
- Simpler and clearer reports
- Recognising the need for change
Mr Bullion said that there is an action plan being implemented which will include:
- Strengthening CQC leadership
- Reviewing long term improvement to the Single Assessment Framework and how they use it
- Piloting better ways of improving and managing their relationship with providers
- Making changes to the single assessment framework
- Changing how technology is used
- Making improvements to the provider portal
Local authorities and integrated care systems
- CQC is advancing its collaboration with local authorities in accordance with its responsibilities under The Care Act 2014. They will be introducing enhancements as part of this process
- Discussions are underway regarding assessments of integrated care systems in line with their statutory duties
- CQC is will also consider any recommendations in the final report from Dr Penny Nash
- Key change: Working with providers
- CQC aims to collaborate with providers to implement significant changes. The primary objective is to gain a clearer understanding of the desired structure of the new single assessment framework, focusing primarily on enhancing the quality of care. The aim to initially focus on:
- Designing what a rating of good looks like, This will be in collaboration with providers
- Designing a clear and accessible regulatory handbook
CQC emphasises the importance of gathering feedback from all stakeholders regarding their experiences. They are in the process of organising a series of roadshows to facilitate connections with providers. These events will enable providers to interact with local CQC teams and gain insights into particular aspects of the assessment process. Attendees will also have the chance to participate in activities aimed at collaboratively designing enhancements.
This is an opportune moment for providers to actively participate and seize the chance to contribute to shaping a new CQC. The new CQC should prioritise supporting and honouring various service types, while also recognising that valuing individuality is key to delivering person-centred services. It is crucial to understand that a one-size-fits-all approach is not suitable in and industry where people using services and delivering high quality care is the focus.
