How to Make Sure Your Care Home Passes the CQC Inspection with Flying Colours

Any care home must be registered under the Health and Social Care Act of 2008. Thus, you are probably no stranger to the CQC and their inspections.

While you are certainly going above and beyond to make sure that your residents’ needs are met and that their well-being is at the core of every decision you make, an inspection can still be a very stressful time. Let’s take a bit of that stress off your plate through a few tips on how to pass the inspection easily.

But first, a quick primer on the CQC and what they do.

What Is the CQC and Why Do Their Inspections Matter?

The CQC (Care Quality Commission) is an independent regulator of health and social care in the UK. They have been regulating care homes and other similar institutions since 2009.

Now, every care home must be registered with the CQC and pass regular inspections. These inspections take place every two years (at the minimum).

There are three main types of inspections that CQC carries:

• Responsive inspections are typically carried out in response to a specific concern. This happens if your care home doesn’t meet one or more standards or if a complaint has been filed with the CQC.

• Themed inspections are carried out nationwide in response to current concerns.

• Scheduled inspections are planned in advance and can be executed at any time.

After each inspection, you will receive one of the four ratings:

• Outstanding: the service is performing exceptionally well.

• Good: the service performs well and meets expectations.

• Requires improvement: the service isn’t performing as it should and the CQC has given instructions on how to improve things.

• Inadequate: the service is performing badly and action has been taken against the people or organisation running it.

It’s important to remember that the CQC ratings are public, so everyone looking for a care home for themselves or their loved ones will be able to see how your organisation is faring.

What Do the CQC Look at During an Inspection?

Depending on the type of inspection, the areas under scrutiny may differ. However, there are a few aspects that most inspections will take into account. The five questions the CQC tries to answer during an inspection are:

1. Are Your Residents Safe?

In this case, safe means that your residents are protected from abuse and avoidable harm.

A peaceful atmosphere and good treatment from your staff are essential in this case. As are the safety measures you need to implement.

Infection control, safe access of the environment, PPE use, hygiene practices, and fire hazards are just a few of the things the CQC inspectors will look at to determine whether your residents are safe or not.

To pass this part of the inspection, make sure that your staff is trained on all the safety measures, from PPE to fire hazards. Also, make sure that you have the proper disinfectants, PPE equipment, cleaning supplies, fire retardant curtains, clear pathways to avoid accidents, and more.

2. Are Your Services Effective?

To answer this question, the inspectors will try and find out if your care, support, and treatment achieve the desired outcomes.

Moreover, they will gather evidence to see if you maintain the best quality of life possible.

3. Is Your Staff Caring?

The staff in your care home is supposed to treat your residents with care and respect. Compassion, kindness, and dignity-preserving attitudes are expected staff members traits.

The CQC inspectors will observe your staff at work. More likely than not, they will also discuss with some of your residents about the care they receive.

4. Are Your Services Responsive to Your Residents’ Needs?

Your services should be tailored to meet your residents’ needs, not the other way around. We’re talking about basic needs, like food, shelter, and hygiene, but also about psychological needs.

The inspectors have to make sure that each resident receives a treatment that helps them maintain a good quality of life and that the treatment is personalised to individual needs.

5. Is Your Care Home Well-Led?

The management of your care home will also be under scrutiny. According to the CQC standards, the management team is responsible for providing high-quality care based on individual needs.

Moreover, they are also responsible for encouraging learning and innovation and promoting a work culture that’s fair and open.

Summary

Yes, inspections and reviews are stressful. But keep in mind that both you and the CQC have the same goal: ensuring the well-being of your residents.

Therefore, there is no reason to think of the CQC inspectors as “enemies”. On the contrary, they can advise you on how to continuously improve your standard of care so that your residents and their families are even happier.