What is a Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection?

Nobody looks forward to a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, not even those who are fully confident that they will pass the inspection with flying colours. However, CQC inspections are vital in ensuring quality standards in health and social care services, so they must be conducted when required.

Focused inspections take place when an area of concern has been highlighted, or if there is a change in a care provider’s circumstances. However, the CQC can visit a care provider at any time.

The CQC inspection involves a comprehensive review of health and social care services to ensure that the service is performing to the required standards and meeting the needs of the care users.

This includes:

• Gathering feedback from service users and staff
• Observing care and looking at individual care pathways
• Reviewing records
• Reviewing documents and policies
• Inspecting the facilities where care is being provided

Preparing for a CQC inspection

There are numerous ways that you can get more prepared for a CQC inspection, and you will be contacted by CQC with a request to provide documentation. This will generally involve recruitment and training policies, summaries of complaints and adverse events, and evidence of how you are monitoring the quality of the service. This information is usually requested to be returned within five days.

It is also a good idea to collect examples of good practice, as during the inspection interviews, you will usually be asked about good practice and having your samples to work from will make the process easier.

How Oakleaf can help with an inspection

Oakleaf provide a service specifically to prepare for a CQC inspection. Our CQC Audit service involves ensuring that your buildings achieve the essential standards of quality and safety demanded by the CQC.

This service is offered across the health and social care sector, focusing on the Premises Aspects of two key outcomes:

Outcome 8: Cleanliness and Infection Control – People experience care in a clean environment and are protected from acquiring infections.

Outcome 10: Safety and Suitability of Premises – People receive care in, work in or visit safe surroundings that promote their wellbeing.

Our independent inspectors have vast experience in performing inspections based on the CQC requirements. Our inspectors will conduct a visual inspection of the buildings and will also interview the relevant practice/building managers and other staff to check that the correct statutory procedures are in place.

Once the audit has been completed, we will provide a detailed report that highlights the most urgent priorities that should be resolved before the CQC inspection. The report includes recommendations and expert advice to help ensure the required actions are implemented to meet the essential standards of quality and safety demanded by the CQC.

In addition to the CQC Audit service, we also provide 6 Facet Surveys providing building assessments such as:

• Building Condition Survey – with costed remedial actions
• Functional Suitability – of the Healthcare Environment
• Space Utilisation Quality – of the Healthcare Environment
• Statutory Compliance – with costed remedial actions
• Environmental Performance

Contact our team of CQC Audit experts to discuss how we can help you to prepare for your next CQC inspection.