CQC’s bulletin reviewed: four changes coming down the track

CQC interim chief executive, Kate Terroni has announced in the regulator’s latest bulletin some steps they’ve taken to progress the priority areas outlined in her message to providers. The move appears to begin addressing some of the criticisms made in Dr Dash’s interim report.

Terroni’s three ‘urgent and immediate’ areas of actions cover:

1. Improve how CQC are using the new regulatory approach by:
   1. improving guidance for providers
   2. increasing the number of assessments and inspections
   3. growing the number of people working in registration to improve the waiting times
2. Fix and improve the provider portal
3. Test a new approach to relationship management enabling a closer and more consistent contact point for providers

Terroni’s latest update says progress has been made in four areas. We are told this is the first of a series of regular updates on the progress the watchdog is making.

Relationship management with providers

CQC are piloting a new approach around local relationships with providers to help create more opportunities to build trusted relationships with local assessment teams, such as having a named provider oversight lead to offer a single point of contact. Currently pilot areas are being finalised and CQC will be in touch with individual trusts to trial this new approach from 16 September. We understand Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust will be part of a pilot of the new approach.

Right expertise in place

CQC are planning to return to the three Chief Inspectors and will be progressing with recruitment. They are also making some changes to the roles in assessment teams so that teams can deliver more inspection activity.

Frequency of assessments

CQC are currently on track to deliver around 5,000 assessments by the end of March 2025. However, they accept that this is ‘not enough’ and ‘need to improve and do better’. The regulator plans to publish details of how often they’ll assess different types of providers and when every provider can expect an assessment under the new approach “as soon as possible”. Providers were expecting to receive details in July and August.

Regulatory handbook and provider portal

CQC are working on a new regulatory handbook and better guidance for providers. If you’d like to share views on what this handbook needs to include, you can get involved in this work through this survey.

The regulator is continuing to work on improvements to the provider portal. Providers are asked to continue to submit statutory notifications using the portal, but if this is not possible, then providers are asked to submit all notifications by email.