28.10.15
CQC performance to be probed by MPs in committee investigation
Representatives from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the Department of Health, CCGs and foundation trusts are set to be grilled by MPs this afternoon in a Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry.
MPs on the PAC will today (28 October) investigate the progress the CQC has made in implementing massive changes to its transformation strategy and how it is responding to the string of new responsibilities it has been given throughout the year.
It will also scrutinise the CQC’s access to data and how it can improve indicators of its own performance.
The inquiry will come just a week after it emerged that all directorates within the commission are behind in hitting their inspection targets and, since no decision has been made on budget allocation and fee agreements, the organisation cannot guarantee it will deliver its programme by 2016-17.
Last week, the CQC’s chief executive, David Behan (who will also be present at the inquiry today) told board members that successfully delivering the inspection programme depended on the Spending Review – but that 25% or 40% cuts to the commission’s budget were likely to hinder its progress.
And at a different board meeting the month before, the CQC revealed that it will not be able to recover its performance levels if it continues to fall behind inspection targets and productivity fails to improve immediately.
Background
The CQC was formed in 2009 from the merger of three regulators. The PAC voiced serious concerns in 2012 about the organisation’s governance, leadership and culture, as well as a failure to intervene quickly or strongly enough in failing providers.
Soon after that, the commission was criticised by the Francis Report, to which it responded by making considerable changes to its structure and leadership. It also developed a new regulatory model that tightened its monitoring and inspection of hospitals, adult care providers and GPs.
Although progress was made in taking on new staff, there are not enough people yet to carry out all the CQC’s work.
The Department of Health then placed further strain with additional expectations that ultimately increased the risk of achieving its transformation strategy. In April, for example, the department charged it with overseeing the financial sustainability of the largest adult social care providers – which the CQC began doing before having sufficient in-house expertise in place.
In June, the department decided that the commission would also assess the financial efficiency of hospital trusts.
The inquiry will therefore look into how the commission is faring amidst these extra pressures.
Witnesses expected to give evidence at the investigation include Behan and the Department of Health’s director of quality, William Vineall, and permanent secretary, Dame Una O’Brien.
The chair of London CCGs and senior GP partner, Dr Marc Rowland, will also be present, alongside the chief executives of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS FT and Quantum Care.