Healthcare Business

Viv Shepherd

We are all devastated to have learned of  the untimely passing away of our friend and colleague Viv Shepherd. Viv was a charming and positive influence on everyone whom she met. Having trained professionally and in life as a Fleet Street journalist of the old tradition, Viv went on to work with Michael Monk on …

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CQC’s State of Care Report – A focus on mental health and learning disability services and the adult social care sector – Healthcare Business October 2019

The 2019 CQC State of Care Report was recently published on 15 October 2019.  Overall CQC has concluded that the quality of care across the country is improving slightly but raised concerns about individuals continued difficulties in accessing the care and support they require.  CQC’s analysis in relation to mental health and learning disability services …

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Whistleblowing in the health and social care sector – As published in Healthcare Business – October 2019

On 11 September 2019, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) published its joint whistleblowing disclosures report with other professional regulators to show what action regulators have taken and how they work together in relation to whistleblowing disclosures. When talking about the ‘Whistleblowers disclosure report 2019’, Matthew McClelland, Director of Fitness to Practise at the NMC …

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Standing up for your business – Healthcare Business July 2019

We have many providers of health and social care services contact us to describe in detail the injustices they have suffered at the hands of a regulator, a commissioner or a professional regulatory body. These stories often relate to inefficiencies within those respective organisations that have led to incorrect conclusions or unreasonable or disproportionate regulatory …

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Healthcare Business – February 2019 – CQC intends to ring in changes to how Providers can challenge its inspection reports

CQC has commented often that it wishes to improve the process of inspection specifically in relation to the speed at which reports are published following inspection.  CQC intends to bring in new guidance which will apply to all providers of health and social care around the process of checking reports for their factual accuracy. To …

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Could Improvements post-inspection now be reported on in CQC reports? (as published in Healthcare Business – September 2018)

CQC inspections have, for years, been considered a “snap-shot” of a home/location on the day of the inspection.  CQC rock up, take a view of what they find, and then write a report and make a judgment on an appropriate rating. When challenging inspection report findings and ratings, sometimes our clients will provide us with evidence …

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Does CQC’s Amended Guidance Require Improvement? As published in Healthcare Business Magazine July 2018

Last month CQC announced that they had updated their guidance on “How CQC monitors inspects and regulates adult social care services”. This document replaced the old Provider handbooks in November 2017. Of particular interest is the addition of a new section to the guidance setting out CQC’s position with regard to services repeatedly rated as …

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“Safeguarding” – beware the dirty tricks as published in Healthcare Business May 2018

There is a growing belief within the social care public sector that commissioners should control both the nature, and, the infrastructure, and, the day to day delivery of services. The independent sector, upon which the very possibility of service depends, is seen as an unwelcome player at the table to be squeezed, bullied and blamed. …

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The burden of proof in Health and Social Care – Healthcare Business

The recent scandal of non-disclosure by the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to rape cases of evidence only available to the prosecution which tends to support the defence case, has brought into focus the duty on public bodies, where criminal charges are asserted, to disclose information which they feel both supports their case and crucially, …

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What can you do if CQC gets it wrong?

Public bodies such as local authorities and regulatory bodies frequently make important decisions about vulnerable people and their rights to services in relation to their care. There is legal mechanism in place where providers can challenge the decisions of CQC via issuing judicial review proceedings. Recent years have shown that providers are no longer shying …

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