The Care Quality Commission (CQC) will respond only to the most serious risks within NHS hospital services where there is a high risk of harm to people as the NHS continues to battle with a winter it describes as “quite unlike any other.”
This approach will apply to acute hospitals, ambulance, community health and NHS 111 services. The level of risk will be identified through data, information of concern received and intelligence shared with NHS England. The decision of whether to inspect during this period will be made at the highest level.
Inspections of mental health services will continue as planned as will CQC’s national programme of inspections in maternity services. The impact of these on senior Trust leaders will be minimised by prioritising inspections with evidence of the greatest risk.
Inspections of independent health providers will continue as planned, as will Mental Health Act monitoring visits. CQC will also promote its PATIENT FIRST and PEOPLE FIRST tools, both of which highlight examples of good practice and are practical resources for providers to guide safe urgent and emergency care.
A CQC statement says: “As a responsive regulator, we must continue to work with health and care providers to fulfil our role, while appreciating the context providers are working in. We will always act in the best interests of people who use services – so while it’s appropriate to recognise the need for providers to focus on delivering care, we will always balance this with our responsibility to check that the safety of people using services is maintained.”
