What is the Care Quality Commission?
If you’re new to health and social care, it’s likely that you haven’t come across the CQC before. Therefore, it’s important you know who they are and what the benefits of working with a fully-managed and regulated service are.
The CQC is the independent regulator of Health and Social Care in England, with the objective of ensuring that people have access to safe, caring, effective, responsive and well-led care services. They monitor, inspect and regulate these services to make sure that they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. They publish what they find and give each provider performance ratings.
Key questions asked by the CQC
There are five key questions asked by the CQC of care providers. They are often referred to as Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs):
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Are they safe? – You (the customer) are protected from abuse and avoidable harm
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Are they effective? – Your care, treatment and support achieve good outcomes, helps you to maintain quality of life and is based on the best available evidence.
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Are they caring? – Staff involve and treat you with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect
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Are they responsive to people’s needs? – Services are organised so that they meet your needs.
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Are they well led? – Leadership, management and governance of the organisation should all make sure it is providing high-quality care that is based around your individual needs, encourages learning and innovation, and that it promotes an open and fair culture.