The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has just launched a consultation requesting views on changes to their 2015 guidance for pharmacy services, specially for those services provided on the internet or at a distance. The consultation process will run for 8 weeks, until 21 August 2018, and we strongly urge all providers within this specific sector […]

On 31 May 2018 The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published advice to UK care home providers on charging fees after a resident’s death. The advice is based upon the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and Consumer Protection for Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs). The CRA applies a test of fairness to terms in a […]

Since the introduction of the CQC rating system in 2014 there have been various revisions of CQC’s guidance to providers on how it monitors, inspects and regulates adult social care services which impact how CQC makes judgements and how providers can challenge these. It is important for providers to challenge factual inaccuracies and misleading comments […]

In recent months we at Ridouts have seen a significant increase in the Care Quality Commission’s use of enforcement action. Providers are approaching us seeking explanations for the serious looking correspondence that has landed on their doorstep. Emblazoned in bold lettering, the headings bear the ominous text “NOTICE OF PROPOSAL TO CANCEL YOUR REGISTRATION” or […]

As first published in the HSJ Insight and Influence Channel. We are in mid-Winter.  We were told the NHS was never better prepared.  A significant ‘flu “epidemic”, relatively unusual cold conditions and a difficult Christmas (most of which were unpredictable) have all intervened. Confidence has been shattered.  We have all viewed images, designed to be […]

CQC’s Strategy for 2016 to 2021 sets out four priorities it will focus on in order to achieve a more targeted, responsive and collaborative approach to regulation, so more people get high-quality care.  One of those four priorities is to “deliver an intelligence-driven approach to regulation”. CQC hopes, that by being more intelligence-driven, it will […]

CQC claim to now have a handle on the quality of care provision provided in the UK; however this is on the presumption that the inspections it conducts provide it with accurate conclusions.  I write from the perspective of a trainee solicitor who has sight of what would appear to be those providers CQC views […]

On 9 October 2017, the Tribunal issued an important judgement overturning a decision of CQC to impose an urgent condition on a provider’s registration preventing admissions to a care home without the prior written agreement of the regulator. In Clarendon Care Group v CQC [2017] 3125.EA-MoU, Ridouts acted for the provider. The Tribunal disagreed with […]

Here at Ridouts we spend a large part of our time acting for Clients who have suffered at the hands of an inefficient CQC. We are regularly approached by Clients who have been issued with draft inspection reports that are riddled with errors, judgments with no basis in fact or are simply built around an […]