The document discusses strategies for healthcare providers to pass their first inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). It outlines that the CQC puts pressure on regulators to improve standards in light of safety issues. To pass inspection, providers must show compliance through thorough documentation that can withstand the CQC's process of cross-checking or "triangulating" multiple sources of information. The QCS compliance management system aims to guide providers in implementing policies and procedures that ensure all activities are managed to meet regulatory standards, making it easier to demonstrate compliance and survive the inspection process.

1. CQC:
First
Inspec/on:
A Survival Guide

2. “Raising
the
bar
on
regulatory
standards”
• Regulator under increasing pressure from cases of cruelty and neglect in adult
social care and scandals such as Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust
• High profile cases fuel public outrage at regulatory failure and increase the
political stakes
• The regulator has come under increasing pressure to improve its performance
including a tougher approach to inspections

3. How to pass your first
inspection and all the others
that come afterwards.
“Surviving
your
first
CQC
Inspec/on”
www.123rf.com/photo_7260616

4. Registra/ons
Versus
Inspec/on
• Registrations means you self-certify by making a declaration that
you are compliant
• Inspection means you have to stand up under scrutiny of the CQC
• Identify areas of non compliance using Provider Compliance
Assessment (PCA) Self Assessment Tool
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5. www.123rf.com/photo_14099047
The
Burden
of
Proof
• It is for a service provider to
demonstrate that it is in compliance
• CQC does not have to “prove”
compliance - practice may be complaint
but any absence of required
documentation is compliance failure
• It’s not quite “guilty until proven
innocent” but it is for service providers
to show that they are “innocent” of
compliance failure

6. Data
Triangula/on
• Inspection appears to be about demonstrating
compliance by providing an audit trail of the
documentation that is required by the CQC
• WRONG!! It is a false assumption to believe that
presenting a flawless set of records, reports and a
PCA, will ensure an inspection pass.
• The inspection process requires CQC inspectors and
assessors to cross-reference or “triangulate” the datewww.123rf.com/photo_12910146

7. www.123rf.com/photo_9594641
Methods for gathering information include:
Source
of
Triangulated
Informa/on
• Talking to people who use the service
• Surveys
• Making direct observations of care

8. The
QCS
Framework
for
Achieving
Compliance
• The QCS Compliance Management System
is a comprehensive library of compliance
policies and procedures
• System documentation enables all health
and social care providers to adhere to
processes that have compliance interwoven
• A “Compliance Blueprint” enabling every
activity to be managed so that service
providers achieve the required CQC
regulatory standard
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9. Blueprint
for
Compliance
• Emphasis on service users is
embedded throughout the entire
QCS policy set.
• Direct employees towards the
goal of achieving compliance
• The HR Policy set is consistent
with the care culture embedded
within the QCS care policy set

10. Leading
by
Example
• Care workers take their cue for interacting with
service users from the management culture
which is forested by this approach to HR
• When assessed and triangulated data methods a
consistent view of compliance is obtained
• This is also true in areas like maintenance,
catering and housekeeping policies

11. Providing
Proof
-­‐
Integrated
Records
and
Repor/ng
• QCS integrates the process of collecting all the
required information with a ‘pack approach’ which
provides templates to record data
• Enables all necessary recording, minimising the
risk of a critical process going undocumented
• Users are easily guided through such processes
as recruitment, care planning and employee
performance management

12. Providing
Proof
-­‐
Ac/on
Planning
• Action planning and management control enables
compliance shortfalls
• Action plan attached whenever a PDCA
• (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycle approach is required
• The effective use of policies can be audited and
the QCS approach is further supported by the
Quality Assurance Policy www.123rf.com/photo_11066582

13. www.123rf.com/photo_19411833
Providing
Proof
-­‐
Management
Control
• The Management Meeting Policy promotes PDCA and embeds the process
of ensuring that Action Plans are monitored
• Recommends a weekly Management Meeting to review all Action Plans,
audits, complaints, external quality reports and statutory inspection reports
• A simple Management Meeting Policy template produces an integrated Action
Plan which drives the whole organisation along the PDCA pathway

14. www.123rf.com/photo_18919820
Summary
-­‐
Surviving
First
Inspec/on
• QCS compliance management enables
health and social care service providers
survive first and subsequent inspections
by providing:
• Policies and procedures to ensure
processes are compliant
• Recording and reporting systems to
document practice
• Consistency when scrutinised using
data triangulation methods

15. • QCS compliance management also provides
compelling benefits such as:
• Raising compliance standards and
improving care quality standards
• Confidence for care workers in critical areas
like infection control, care planning and
medication
• Structured approach reduces risks to
service users and service providers
Summary
-­‐
Driving
BeNer
Care

16. Find out more on our website
and register for a free trial at:
www.ukqcs.co.uk
T:
020
7138
3078
For
more
informa?on
download
our
free
white
paper:
hCp://www.ukqcs.co.uk/useful-­‐guides/cqc-­‐first-­‐inspec?on-­‐a-­‐survival-­‐guide/