Update on the CQC’s new regulatory approach
I’m sure you’ve seen a lot about the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC’s) new regulatory approach, which they’ll be rolling out (starting in the South of the UK) from mid-November.
Firstly, we want to reassure you that we have a close eye on this internally and are working on making sure all our products and services will reflect the changes. Secondly, we want to reassure you that these changes will not fundamentally alter what good care looks like – you’ll be expected to meet the same kind of standards you’re used to when it comes to inspection.
However, there are a few things you need to be aware of when it comes to the new approach – namely the introduction of “Quality Statements” to replace the Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) going forward.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have recently released updated guidance on the type of evidence they’ll be looking for as their new regulatory approach is rolled out across the UK from November. This guidance aims to ensure care businesses are meeting required standards through the new Quality Statements, which will be replacing the Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) going forward.
What we know so far
The CQC will continue to use the five key questions (Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-Led) and their four-point rating scale (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Adequate). What will change is the evidence required under each of the five questions.
Before the new changes, care businesses were required to complete KLOEs. These have been replaced by Quality Statements. This means that under each of the five questions, care businesses will be required to provide additional information to show they are meeting the standards. You’ll need to do this by answering ‘We’ statements and ‘I’ statements.
For example:
‘We’ statement: We work with people and our partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety is managed, monitored and assured.
‘I’ statement: I feel safe and am supported to understand and manage any risks.
The CQC will roll out these changes to a small group of businesses in the South of the UK first, which right now is estimated to begin around mid-November, before this goes live across England.
As always, we’ll continue to update you as more information is released. We’re currently working on ensuring our care products are up to date following these changes, so you can rest assured that, if you have any of our additional care products, they will reflect the CQC’s new regulatory approach.
Watch out for our webinar!
We want to make sure you feel ready for the upcoming CQC changes, so we’ll be hosting an exclusive webinar in November to take you through everything we know so far. Invites will be sent over email in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on your inbox!