The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is set up to regulate all health and social care services in England. As independent regulators, their purpose is extremely simple. They want to ensure that health and social care services are provided to the highest standards possible throughout England. Moreover, they wish to ensure that people in care receive these services safely and effectively, doing everything in their power to improve the general care services industry.
How does the Care Quality Commission maintain care home standards?
A big part of what the CQC does revolves around assessing care homes to ensure they stay at a high standard. Assessments tend to involve inspections, leading to each care home receiving a rating via an inspection report. Typically, a care home inspection will involve observing the care provided by members of staff, as well as looking at people’s records to see if their needs are being managed correctly.
Following the inspection, a rating is provided on this scale:
- Outstanding – the care home exceeds expectations
- Good – the care home performs to the recommended standards
- Requires improvement – the care home needs to improve its service
- Inadequate – the care home is performing badly and action is taken against the organisation
By constantly inspecting care homes, the CQC ensures that nothing flies under the radar. It supports care homes and care providers in improving and maintaining their standards. Fines can be handed out to facilities that achieve the inadequate rating, and prosecutions can also be made in extreme cases.
The outstanding rating is given to care homes who go above and beyond to deliver the best possible level of care and has processes in place to continue to improve their service offering putting their residents and team at the heart of everything they do.
A CQC inspection is taken seriously by all those in the care industry, it is important to maintain a good level of care for all those involved. The CQC inspections and processes mean that individuals across the country will receive a higher level of care services that are built around their individual needs.
To read our latest CQC inspection, click here.