22.04.15
Guide to CQC inspections for mental health providers published
The NHS Confederation has produced a guide to what mental health providers can expect during a CQC inspection.
One year on from the introduction of the regulator’s new approach to inspection, the briefing provides an account of what mental health providers can expect, how to prepare, and some top tips from chief executives of some of the inspected organisations and from the chairs of inspection teams.
The guide points out that the CQC now has a greater focus on community-based services and on the experience of people on community treatment orders. It suggests key areas of focus for specialist mental health services should include:
- Deaths under mental healthcare
- Mental Health Act 1983
- Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards/Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA)
- Crisis care
- Transitions and interfaces between services
- Winterbourne View Concordat restrictive practices
The size and complexity of some providers means that the CQC will not always be able to inspect every service. The briefing includes a set of core services that have been identified, which if they are provided will always be included in an inspection. For mental health wards they are:
- Acute wards for adults and psychiatric intensive care units
- Long-stay/rehabilitation mental health wards for adults
- Forensic inpatient/secure wards
- Child and adolescent mental health wards
- Wards for older people with mental health problems
- Wards for people with learning disabilities or autism
Community-based mental health and crisis response services:
- Community-based mental health services for adults
- Mental health crisis services and health-based places of safety
- Specialist community mental health services for children and young people
- Community-based mental health services for older people
- Community mental health services for people with learning disabilities or autism.
Community health core services:
- Community health services for adults
- Community health services for children, young people and families
- Community health inpatient services
- Community end-of-life care
Other information included in the briefing includes the make up of inspection teams, the different type of inspections and a day-by-day guide for the inspection process.
You can read the full briefing here.
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]