CQC says this draws on our long-standing commitment to co-production and learning from providers, while upholding people’s right to safe, high-quality care.
The Regulators’ Pioneer Fund was established by the Government to fund unique projects that will help regulators support the development of new products and services. These projects are aligned with particular “Grand Challenges” set out in BEIS' Industrial Strategy and aim to unlock the potential of innovation to help tackle these issues.
The CQC project being backed will allow the organization to investigate and test new ways of engaging with innovative providers to meet the needs of an ageing population, while making sure that patient safety is kept at the heart of developing services. This could include ‘regulatory sandboxing’, where implementation of technology can be tested against the regulations in a controlled way, to ensure that regulation achieves the best outcome for people using services.
Commenting on the announcement of the award, Ian Trenholm, Chief Executive, said: “We have always been committed to developing our approach to regulation alongside providers”. As technology is becoming an integral part of the way care is delivered we need to make sure our approach supports innovative new services.
Just as people’s needs and expectations of care are changing, so are the innovative ways that providers can support them. Regulation has to keep pace with and encourage progress – whilst also making sure that people receive the safe, high-quality care that they deserve, regardless of how it is delivered.
“This funding from the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund will help us work with and encourage innovative providers at this exciting time, helping regulation to develop effectively and, encouraging technological change.”
In announcing the fifteen winning bidders for the £10m Regulators’ Pioneer Fund, Business Secretary Greg Clark said:
“The UK’s regulatory environment is recognised as being among the best in the world and through our modern Industrial Strategy we are building a business environment in which Britain’s dreamers, developers and disruptors can continue to thrive.
“These projects will further strengthen our regulatory system and ensure that it keeps pace with the innovation and technological advances needed to power our economy now and in the future.”
Embracing technology to bring about change
This award gives an insight in how the CQC sees the future of social care services. There is little doubt that they wish to see more providers making use of the new technology that is constantly becoming available. Providers will be encouraged to make more use of technology, and even if I dare say it, in the not too distant future standards will be introduced to measure the provider’s use of technology.
In my experience at one end of the scale it is the larger providers with sufficient profit margins that are able to afford the investment required. While at the other end we have smaller providers, who struggle to make ends meet to keep their services running let alone invest in technology. The number of care home closures in the past year gives us evidence of the struggle.
Summary
This award to the CQC through its Regulators’ Pioneer Fund should be welcomed. Social care services need innovation and providers should embrace technology that can improve their services. However, CQC should take care that they do not drive the smaller provider out of the care industry, because they cannot keep pace, let alone afford new technology.
I am prepared to accept that technology has an integral part to play in the delivery of social care services, but it must be accompanied by staff and Services Users who are able to make the best use of it. We should be wary that we do not take our eye off the ball. Placing too much focus on what technology can offer us at the cost of spending less time on providing a face to face service for Service Users.
Albert Cook BA, MA & Fellow Charted Quality Institute Managing Director Bettal Quality Consultancy