According to CQC’s website, this month, CQC will start inspecting all GP providers of NHS out-of-hours services in England, using CQC’s new approach to inspection.
During the first three months of 2014, CQC will inspect 27 out-of-hours providers and all GP providers of NHS out-of-hours services will be inspected by June 2014.
The new inspection teams will be led by expert inspectors with clinical input led by GP’s. The teams will include an inspector, a GP, a nurse or a practice manager and a trainee GP. They may also include an Expert by Experience – someone who uses a GP practice or has a particular experience of care.
The inspectors will look at how well the service responds to patients’ needs and consider the quality of communication between out-of-hours care and other local services, including GP practices, care homes and emergency services.
Inspections of GP surgeries will begin after April 2014 and every GP surgery in England will have been inspected and rated by April 2016.
