The Care Quality Commission has published its consultation document Shaping the Future which sets out their vision for the future regulation of health and social care. Following the publication the Commission are seeking views on its proposed plans.
In the consultation document, CQC sets out proposals in a bid to respond to the changing ways health and social care is delivered.
A key element of these proposals is an approach called ‘implementing a single shared view of quality’, which builds on a single framework for measuring quality. This framework could be used to help providers better understand their quality of care and to share this information with CQC. This information can then be checked against what is already known about the provider, including information from inspection.
The CQC is also asking for views on its proposed approach to using data, which will support a risk-based approach to regulation. This approach is intended to support a more targeted and tailored inspection programme that allows the Commission to inspect services rated good and outstanding less frequently and to lend greater support to those performing less well.
CQC’s Chief Executive, David Behan, said: ‘We’ve radically changed the way we regulate over the last three years – these changes are driving improvement in the quality and safety of care, highlighting good and outstanding care and protecting people from poor care.
‘Now we need to further develop our approach, adapting to changes in the way health and care services will be provided in the future, while improving our efficiency and effectiveness. This document sets out proposals on how we support the challenges of the Five Year Forward View, the changing nature of services and the emergence of new models of care. The landscape is changing – and we can’t stand still.
‘During this period of development and change in health and social care, we’re determined to develop and deliver an ambitious vision – one that will ensure that the people who use services, the organisations that provide care and the wider public benefit from effective and efficient regulation, which encourages high quality care.’
Shaping the future is the third in a series of documents in which the CQC has asked the public, providers, professionals and stakeholders for help in developing its strategy for the next five years. In particular, responses to the discussion paper Building on Strong Foundations, which was published in October, have impacted the ideas presented in this new document.
The key themes of the consultation are strengthening CQC’s use of data and information, implementing a single view of quality, developing methods to assess quality for populations across local areas and targeting and tailoring inspection activity. Other themes include the development of a more flexible approach to registration, the assessment of how well hospitals use resources and a move towards a risk-based model to protect people from poor care.
Feedback from the consultation paper published last October indicated broad support for CQC’s regulatory approach. Respondents said CQC should focus on areas such as working better with its partners and ensuring it stays on the side of the public and people who use services.
The consultation is open until 14 March. CQC will formally respond to the feedback provided when it publishes its strategy in May this year.
