latest health care news

12.12.16

CQC to bring in external consultants as inspections still behind target

The CQC is due to bring in external consultants from next year as it continues to struggle to meet its targets to produce reports on time.

According to a paper by chief executive David Behan published ahead of the regulator’s board meeting on 14 December, no directorate is meeting its objectives for the timeliness of reports.

The CQC has highlighted this problem before, but the executive team has now agreed to source external consultants to “re-examine the issue of report timeliness from an independent perspective” for each directorate, starting in January next year. This is in addition to improvement objectives in each directorate.

According to the latest figures, in October 2016 no reports were published for providers with three or more core services, and just 16% were published within target for the year so far. Just 28% of reports for providers with less than three services were published so far.

In the year so far, less than two-thirds of primary medical care reports were published on time against a 70% target.

In October, 81% of adult social care figures were published against a 90% target, although the rate has been improving for the past five quarters.

Similarly, the CQC’s target is to register 90% of services within 50 working days, but only 81% of social care providers, 87% of hospitals and 85% of primary medical services were registered.

Another major concern was that over half of providers failed to improve their CQC rating upon re-inspection, with 45% maintain the same rating and 10% deteriorating.

Behan’s report noted that, following the State of Care report, the CQC has found that “good leadership” was a crucial quality to improvement. Key factors included leaders who were “visible and accountable to staff”, engaged with partners and promoted an “open and positive” culture.

However, the CQC said that it would look at its own role in helping providers improve their ratings as part of a consultation, due to start in March 2017, on planned changes to social care and primary care regulation.

The CEO’s report also revealed that it is “highly likely” that the CQC will complete its comprehensive inspection programme of all providers by January, ahead of the March target.

It said that the regulator would review why some services improve and others do not as part of a review of what it has learned from completing the inspections.

Separately, the Health Select Committee is carrying out its own review of the CQC. NHS Confederation told the review last week that the regulator must do more to demonstrate value for money.

Have you got a story to tell? Would you like to become an NHE columnist? If so, click here.

Comments

There are no comments. Why not be the first?

Add your comment

national health executive tv

more videos >

featured articles

View all News

last word

Haseeb Ahmad: ‘We all have a role to play in getting innovations quicker’

Haseeb Ahmad: ‘We all have a role to play in getting innovations quicker’

Haseeb Ahmad, president of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), sits down with National Health Executive as part of our Last Word Q&A series. Would you talk us throu more > more last word articles >

health service focus

View all News

comment

NHS England dementia director prescribes rugby for mental health and dementia patients

23/09/2019NHS England dementia director prescribes rugby for mental health and dementia patients

Reason to celebrate as NHS says watching rugby can be good for your mental ... more >
Peter Kyle MP: It’s time to say thank you this Public Service Day

21/06/2019Peter Kyle MP: It’s time to say thank you this Public Service Day

Taking time to say thank you is one of the hidden pillars of a society. Bei... more >

interviews

Matt Hancock says GP recruitment is on the rise to support ‘bedrock of the NHS’

24/10/2019Matt Hancock says GP recruitment is on the rise to support ‘bedrock of the NHS’

Today, speaking at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) annual... more >

the scalpel's daily blog

Covid-19 can signal a new deal with the public on health

28/08/2020Covid-19 can signal a new deal with the public on health

Danny Mortimer, Chief Executive, NHS Employers & Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Confederation The common enemy of coronavirus united the public side by side wi... more >
read more blog posts from 'the scalpel' >