The CQC ‘got things wrong’ in the implementation of its new regulatory approach, its chief has admitted, while announcing an increase to inspections.
Interim chief executive Kate Terroni wrote to providers yesterday to say that the new system has ‘made things more difficult than they should be’, and announced that the CQC ‘will increase the number of assessments and inspections’ that they are doing.
She also added that the changes in how the CQC manages relationships ‘have left many providers feeling unsupported’ and that the watchdog ‘didn’t listen properly or take on board these concerns’.
As a result, the CQC ‘lost the trust’ of providers, she said.
The letter also announced three ‘urgent and immediate areas of action’ including more inspections, increased support for providers and solving issues with their providers’ portal.
Ms Terroni said: ‘I want to start with an apology. We’ve got things wrong in the implementation of our new regulatory approach.
‘I know that the changes we’ve delivered so far are not what we promised. It’s made things more difficult than they should be. We’re not where we want to be, and we’re determined to put things right.’
She said that ‘technical issues and challenges’ with the provider portal mean that some providers are ‘still not able to have a good experience’ and that many providers have experienced delays in registering.
She added: ‘On top of this, the changes in how we manage relationships have left many providers feeling unsupported.
‘Many of the issues we’re experiencing now were anticipated and flagged by providers and our own people. We didn’t listen properly or take on board these concerns, and that’s why we’re where we are now.
‘Though there was significant engagement and co-production of the high-level elements of our approach, we didn’t follow that process into the detail of how we’ll assess providers. I know that, for some of you, we’ve lost your trust because of this. I’m sorry.’
Ms Terroni was appointed as interim chief executive last month after Ian Trenholm stepped down.
It comes after it was announced that the CQC is set to face a review into its ‘operational effectiveness’ led by North West London ICS chair Penny Dash.
Earlier this year, the first CQC inspections of ICSs were delayed due to discussions with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and then further by the general election.
The watchdog started to roll out its new GP practice assessment framework from November last year.
The new approach still uses five key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led) and a four-point ratings scale (outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate) but as part of the changes, the CQC introduced six new ‘evidence categories’ to organise information under the statements.
These new categories include people’s experience of health and care services, feedback from staff and leaders, feedback from partners, observation, processes and outcomes.
A version of this story was first published on our sister title Pulse.
