Further to the announcement of the CQC single assessment framework underpinned by quality statements, here at Bettal Quality Consultancy we have been beavering away to ensure that the Bettal Cared4 Quality Management System complies with CQC requirements.
Our first task was to get our heads around the quality statements and their relationship with the Care Quality Commissions previous approach to inspection that was driven by the Key Lines of Enquiry.
What are the CQC Quality Statements
CQC describe the quality statements are the commitments that providers, commissioners and system leaders should live up to. Expressed as ‘we statements’, they show what is needed to deliver high-quality, person-centred care.
The quality statements show how services and providers need to work together to plan and deliver high quality care. They directly relate to the related regulations.
The CQC will continue to use the five key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led) and the quality statements relate to these and the related regulations.
The new CQC inspection and regulation process
The CQC have developed a new inspection and regulation process based upon six evidence categories that are there to help bring structure and consistency to their assessments. They show the types of evidence the inspectors will use to understand the quality of care being delivered against a quality statement.
The evidence categories are:
• People's experience of health and care services • Feedback from staff and leaders • Feedback from partners • Observation • Processes • Outcomes
These evidence categories will be used to assess each quality statement 'required evidence'. How many evidence categories will need to consider and the sources of evidence we'll collect will vary according to:
• the service type/ or model • the level of assessment (service, provider, local authority or integrated care system) • whether the assessment is for an existing service or at registration
Support for managers
The Bettal Quality Management System will enable managers to provide evidence of compliance to the quality statements. All the categories apart from observation by inspectors are document related and form part of the Bettal QMS.
To ensure that the ‘required evidence’ provided by managers is robust and compliant, we have cross referenced all of the quality statements to the relevant document in the Bettal Quality Management System where the evidence can be found. This makes it easier for managers to present the evidence and for inspectors to assess it.
Comments on the move from KLOE to quality statements and single assessment process
The single assessment process affords the CQC the opportunity of more effective and efficient means of inspection with the application of the same process across all of adult social care.
The concept of quality statements is nothing new as readers will be fully aware that NICE have been using quality statements for years. Quality statements have advantages over KLOES however in that CQC can continue to raise the bar of quality through the amendment to a quality statement rather than carrying out a major change to the inspection process as we have here.
The new inspection approach is returning to the safe ground of related regulation which makes it easier for the CQC to take enforcement action where required.
A problem with the use of regulation to enforce the quality statements is that you end up with repeated evidence requirement across the key question of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
Summary
I guess we were due a change from the KLOE approach and the introduction of quality statements certainly achieves that, but some may say that the quality statements that rely on commitment are not as stringent as the specific approach of KLOES.
However, our company Bettal Quality consultancy is based upon a commitment to quality, a term that figures highly in the International Standard ISO:9001. A statement that is designed to get people at the top of an organisation to commit to quality.
I wonder if the CQC are also aware of it. I am tempted to say there is nothing new, but the single assessment approach is to be welcomed and long overdue.
Albert Cook BA, MA & Fellow Charted Quality Institute Managing Director Bettal Quality Consultancy
If you are interested in a quality management system that will provide your service with a quality management system that delivers the ‘required evidence’ to meet the CQC Quality Statements.
Please contact: Stuart Cook (Director, Bettal Quality Consultancy). Email: info@bettal.co.uk Tel: 01697 741 411