In an attempt to appease the concerns which appear to have been raised by a significant number of current Experts by Experience CQC issued a statement yesterday. The statement discusses the anticipated fall in pay for Experts by Experience in all regions.
This move could signal a revision in the amounts paid to Experts by Experience by the private companies awarded the contract to supply them. Remploy, the company awarded the lion’s share of the contract to supply Experts by Experience in the North, South and London regions, has stated that it will be halving pay for its employees. In CQC’s statement it explains the increased importance of Experts by Experience within the inspection regime. The fear is that the substantial reduction in pay and terms for Experts by Experience could potentially lead to a mass exodus of employees.
The statement issued on the topic by CQC seems to be a reactive response issued after the event which failed to recognise the impact that such a reduction in pay could have on what is a significant part of its workforce. CQC provided little in the way of explanation as to how the situation could have progressed to this point but does note that the processes for the awarding of these contracts have not yet been finalised.
Given that the new contract for supplying the Experts by Experience commences on 1 February this matter requires urgent attention so as not to bring CQC’s already overrun inspection schedule grinding to a halt. CQC cannot simply hide behind the fact that it outsourced the supply of Experts by Experience primarily to a private provider with seemingly little regard for the importance of the function of the experts (reflected in the considerable reduction in pay).
