CQC calls for quality ratings to be standardised

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has proposed that its ratings system should be adopted across all health and social care providers and management organisations.

The CQC made the proposal in its report ‘Shaping the Future’, where it outlines plans to overhaul its regulation process over the coming years in order to adapt to rapid change in the UK’s health and social care system, including new models of care and GP federations.

The watchdog said it aimed to develop a more flexible and broader approach to registration to accommodate these new and varied models of care when it introduces its new scheme in May. It also plans to ‘implement a single shared view of quality’ across the healthcare system as a whole.

The CQC maintains it plans to achieve the move with ‘fewer resources’ as the Department of Health (DoH) prepares to remove some of its funding. It is also set to increase its provider fees to mitigate this loss of funding, triggering a sevenfold fee increase over the next two to four years for GP practices.

The CQC plans to have its framework of quality centred around five key questions: Is it safe? Is it effective? Is it caring? Is it responsive? Is it well-led? It also plans implement the strategy across the whole healthcare system by all providers and oversight bodies, including NHS England, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), local authorities and the General Medical Committee (GMC).

David Behan, CQC chief executive, said: “We’ve radically changed the way we regulate over the last three years – these changes are driving improvement in the quality and safety of care, highlighting ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ care and protecting people from poor care.

“Now we need to further develop our approach, adapting to changes in the way health and care services will be provided in the future, while improving our efficiency and effectiveness. The landscape is changing – and we can’t stand still.”