January 2021 saw the release of two important consultation documents by the CQC. The first was its consultation on its strategy from 2021 and beyond which has now closed. The second, and the subject of this article, is its consultation “Changes for Flexible Regulation” which is currently live and open for responses. Both documents set …
To say it’s been a tough year would be a shameful understatement. The health and social care sector has been tested like never before. Day after day we have been presented with harrowing statistics on how COVID-19 has tightened its grip on the world but amongst the bad news and escalating fear, we have seen …
Staffing in social care: The cornerstone of compliance Read More »
On 16 February 2021, Shadow Minister Chi Onwurah asked the Department of Health and Social Care the written question, “… when the Care Quality Commission will resume routine inspections; and how many care homes have not had an inspection for two years or more.” Helen Whatley, Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care) responded to …
CQC inspection figures confirmed by Department of Health and Social Care Read More »
In the wake of the pandemic, the CQC changed its entire approach to inspections in order to limit inspectors “crossing the threshold”. The CQC initiated remote monitoring through initial conversations with Providers which could result in a site visit if the CQC had concerns, and enforcement action if the CQC found the service to be …
What has happened to the CQC’s Transitional Monitoring Approach? Read More »
As published in Caring Times – February 2021 On 7 January 2021, CQC published a formal consultation paper on its new draft strategy that it aims to implement over the next five years. CQC acknowledged that the pandemic has forced the health and social care sector to think differently and stated that the purpose of …
CQC’s draft consultation strategy for 2021 and smarter regulation – has much changed? Read More »
Recognising the increased pressure on health and social care at present, CQC have announced that, for the time being, they will continue to only undertake inspection activity in response to a serious risk of harm or where it supports the system’s response to the pandemic. What this means for providers of health and social care …
On 7 January 2021, CQC published a formal consultation on its new draft strategy that it aims to implement over the next five years and it has requested feedback from providers. In a statement published on its website, CQC acknowledged that the pandemic has forced the health and social care sector to think differently and …
Over recent years we have seen the growth of statutory tribunals with panels comprised of a legally qualified chairperson and selected experts to determine a variety of a specialised issues. It is not clear whether this is born from a desire to relieve mainstream courts of workload, or to speed dispute resolution in specialised cases, …
Let’s keep regulators and Tribunals to their correct remit Read More »
This has been a significant year for regulated social care and has seen a number of dynamic changes and changes, made in response to crisis, which will remain after this crisis is long past. The crisis is, of course, the COVID-19 Pandemic. Registered Care has been affected very significantly but has risen to that unplanned …
During the period of the pandemic, CQC paused routine inspections and introduced the Emergency Support Framework (“ESF”) with the intention of focusing on the immediate risks presented by the pandemic. CQC has now developed its new Transitional Monitoring Approach (“TMA”) which is meant to bring together elements of its existing methodologies relying on the approach …
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