14.03.18
CQC looks to hire 100 more inspectors after £10m underspend
The CQC is planning to hire an additional 100 inspectors to decrease the current workload on its staff, specifically for those investigating the adult social care sector.
A recent staff survey pointed to workload pressures as one of the key issues faced by the organisation, which – coupled with a reported £10.2m underspend largely down to pay – has prompted bosses to push for greater recruitment.
In the short-term the organisation will look to bring the numbers of its adult social care and hospitals teams up to the full amount by the end of March, a plan which it says it is “on track to achieve.”
In a meeting last month, the CQC’s board was told that it would begin pursuing an “always on” approach to its recruitment, in an effort to reduce the time between staff leaving and replacements being hired.
Kate Harrison, finance director at the inspectorate, said the pay underspend was down to recruitment “not going as well as it might have done.”
She explained that the new “always on” approach to staffing would create a “steady stream” of new recruits, with any added underspend used as a reserve.
The CQC has also reported a slight decline in the timeliness of its inspection reports, although the number of reports is on track to meet the organisation’s commitments.
It is expected that there will be increased pressure on the inspectorate’s finances in the future, with Harrison warning that continued reduction of expenditure will be necessary as the budget drops from £223m to £217m over the two years.
Top image: CQC
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