Working with the CQC and understanding inspection processes

Information for care homes, home care companies, specialist colleges, extra care housing, Shared Lives schemes and supported living services.

This virtual learning module is aimed at new managers, new services and others wishing to understand the CQC inspection process. Informed by how other services have prepared, the module looks at a step-by-step approach to involving the people you support, staff and others in sharing robust evidence.

This full-day facilitated session brings together frontline managers to learn about the step-by-step ways to be ready to evidence that your service meets CQC expectations to achieve a Good or Outstanding rating.

Our CQC Information Hub has the information you need to understand how to comply with the new CQC single assessment framework. Find out how the new framework works in practice. And we provide the latest updates as and when they are announced.

Examples of resources from the hub (click to access):

• 12 Step Plan to CQC Compliance
• CQC Key Question Booklet: Effective
• CQC Key Question Booklet: Safe

April 5, 2023

Have you received an inspection rating that wasn’t what you hoped for?

Perhaps you have been left feeling perplexed as to why a category hasn’t changed rating despite the team working tirelessly for improvement? In this month’s episode, we delve into the topic of care home inspections to review the current regulatory process, we discuss the impact of inspections on staff morale and guest Sophie Coulthard shares ways you can support the workforce. We also hear why inspections should be seen as a positive experience and how guest Martin Vanhinsbergh recognises workforce achievements. Is the Government doing a good enough job at championing the care sector? Professor Martin Green OBE, shares his analysis on what needs to change in the future.

For those committed to delivering the highest levels of care, this module covers how you can exceed CQC expectations to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating.

With content shaped around the CQC Single Assessment Framework, the GO Guide takes a closer look at each of the 34 Quality Statements that will be scored as part of the new assessment process. Across 300-pages of insight and advice, the guide enables you and your teams to recognise and prepare to showcase to the CQC what you do well and identify where there might be gaps that could impact your rating.

Please note: Skills for Care registered manager members have automatic access to the online PDF version of the GO Guide and downloadable checklists. To access these please click here and log in to your account.

Learning, improvement and innovation section

Good and outstanding-rated services encourage and effectively resource the drive for improvement. From effective quality assurance practices to the ability to research and act upon innovation, these services are committed to providing the best care possible and can implement the changes needed.

Our ‘Guide to improvement’ is a comprehensive resource developed in consultation with a range of different regulated care providers with one thing in common; they have all fallen below the CQC standards and successfully improved.

Many services are at risk of falling below CQC standards because of poor practice in relation to safe staffing, including recruitment practice, staffing levels and effective training. This guide includes practical examples and recommendations to help you safely recruit the right number of suitable staff.

If your service has fallen below CQC standards, quick recovery is essential to ensure the quality of care provided is adequate and to protect your reputation.

This seminar is for services who have fallen below CQC standards and are looking for practical ways to recover and achieve a Good rating. This facilitated seminar covers step-by-step ways to drive forward improvements within adult social care services.

This template can be used to document your goals, ambitions and plans of how improvements are going to be measured and managed within clear timeframes, as well as recording process.

This checklist enables you to reflect about how you can improve and establish the building blocks for continuous improvement.

The Role of the CQC course is the third in our series on Managing Quality in Health and Social Care. Its primary aim is to enable you to appreciate the intricacies involved in delivering ‘quality service’. Additionally, it encourages reflection on the care provision within your workplace. Thereby aiding in the identification of areas that could be improved.

Hempsons have partnered with Care England to produce this new toolkit for providers, guiding you through the 34 quality statements from CQC’s single assessment framework. The toolkit costs £950 or £750 for Care England members and WSPiC premium members.

The introduction of the Single Assessment Framework (SAF) in 2023 aimed to streamline and enhance the assessment process with a unified goal of ensuring that those we support receive the highest quality of care. However, ongoing discussions regarding the effectiveness of the SAF may be causing uncertainty among care providers about the current regulatory processes.

While the government is currently reviewing the situation, this newsletter highlights the latest resources and guidance to help providers navigate the SAF with confidence, ensuring that high standards of care are consistently maintained across services.

Philippa Doyle, Partner and Head of Social Care at Hempsons, explains how to navigate the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC’s) new inspection regime in the most cost-effective way, outlining the essential steps your business needs to take in preparation.

This CQC inspection preparation course provides vital insight and strategies for navigating recent regulatory changes implemented by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

This course covers the essentials for care providers and managers. This online course has been designed specifically for team leaders, seniors and managers working in a social care setting. It may also be useful to a wider audience of people because inspection is about the whole team, not just the manager.

Whether you are awaiting your first inspection or you want to be best prepared for your next one, the checklist based on recommendations from frontline managers helps you to reflect on what you will need to evidence.

This guidance describes how providers and managers can meet the regulations. These include the fundamental standards – the standards below which care must never fall.

This interim report provides a summary of the emerging findings from Dr Penny Dash, who was commissioned to review the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the suitability of the new single assessment framework (SAF).

In this webinar, Nicole Ridgwell will summarise the key changes and actions that CQC-regulated services should be taking now to understand the Single Assessment Framework and prepare for their next inspections.

We are delighted to be hosting this webinar with our CQC colleagues, Mary Cridge, Director of Adult Social Care and Dave James, Deputy Director of Policy and Strategy. They will share the next steps for the implementation of CQC’s new Single Assessment framework, the changes they are making, and how they plan to work with us and the sector going forward.

Document your goals, ambitions and plans of how improvements are going to be measured and managed within clear timeframes, as well as recording progress.

This checklist can be used to reflect on whether your service is ready to evidence you are delivering outstanding levels of care.  It can help you to reflect on what additionally may be needed to achieve this rating from the CQC.

Good quality records underpin safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care. They communicate the right information clearly, to the right people, when they need it. They are an essential part of achieving good outcomes for people.

This guide clarifies what good digital records look like and how providers can achieve this. It also covers the commitments CQC makes to support providers’ use of digital record systems and what we will look at on inspection.

The programme explores the inspection process, what CQC are looking for, the Key Lines of Enquiry, and consolidates the learning with a case study. This is a full-day programme and is remotely delivered by ZOOM, so no need to travel.

If you want support in developing your leaders and managers or are interested in finding out how we can work together to make a difference to your business please contact our admin team for a free enquiry.

Ever wondered when you read a copy of a Care Quality Commission report from an Outstanding service and your report reads the same but you only received a Good rating? Then this is the programme for you.