If you are faced with a CQC criminal investigation into you or your service it is vital that you take prompt action. The CQC is becoming heavier handed in the fines that it dishes out to providers. Furthermore, the fact that some offences are punishable by imprisonment and that criminal enforcement action is likely to …
Ridouts have observed that the CQC have intensified the aggressive presentation of inspections and inspection reports over recent months. This is particularly noticeable in the CQC attitude to primary care and GP practice interactions. Unsurprisingly, but, most unfortunately many of those engaged in front line inspection lack any medical qualification or experience, and, when that …
Records are one of the main focus areas during a CQC inspection and one of the main sources of evidence that the CQC relies on when determining if a service is Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. It is therefore important that records are as accurate and detailed as they can be. In February 2023, …
The Importance Of Good Record Keeping In Your Care Business Read More »
One of the most stressful times for social care providers are CQC inspections. Many have described inspectors as having an ‘agenda’ – looking to uncover negative evidence in order to substantiate preconceived determinations about the overall quality of the service and care provided. This not only puts providers and staff under extreme pressure, but can …
The CQC makes judgements about the quality of the services it inspects by following its own processes. Some questions whether the regulator is justified in making such judgements. A recent case of note against the CQC, which is presently going through the courts, succeeded in part. It found that there was a case to answer …
Providers of health and social care services are all too aware of how vital their relationships are with stakeholders. Often they prioritise their relationships with the CQC or Ofsted because regulation underpins all other areas of service provision, however, providers should not underestimate the enormous impact local authority / CCG commissioner relationships and interactions have …
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CQC introduced a risk-based inspection model and focused its inspection activity where service users were deemed to be at risk of harm. Since the introduction of this risk-based system, we have seen an overall increase in the CQC’s enforcement action. This has also been confirmed by the CQC’s Chief Executive Ian …
The CQC And Its Move Towards Imposing Conditions On Registration Read More »
As has now been widely publicised, the CQC has abandoned its regular schedule of inspection for all health and social care services, including GP practices. Inspections will now be triggered by perceptions of risk, related to any notifications received by the regulator or any third party concerns or staff whistleblowing. As has been set out …
The Care Quality Commission (“CQC”) announced on 31 August 2022 that they will be amending guidance relating to people with a learning disability or autism, which care providers are subject to. Since 2020 the CQC have implemented guidance called ‘Right Support, right care, right culture’ (“RSRCRC”). This is statutory guidance under section 23 of the …
At Ridouts we are frequently seeing that the CQC is automatically adopting Notices of Proposal, seemingly ignoring, or not testing the validity of, the representations submitted by Providers. In some cases the CQC is sending out Notices of Decision months after the Notice of Proposal was issued and therefore months and months, in some cases …
Are Your Representations Against CQC Notices of Proposal Being Ignored? Read More »
Ridouts is a team of specialist health and social care lawyers, providing dedicated legal advice for care homes, GP practices, children’s homes, dental practices, domiciliary and home care agencies, supported and independent living services and both private and NHS hospitals.
info@ridout-law.com • +44 (0) 207 317 0340
7-10 Chandos Street, W1G 9DQ, London
