CQC Compliance in Interior Fit-Outs: What should you look out for?

Care Quality Commission ensure your services meet their standards through providing people with safe, effective, compassionate, and high-quality care.

Here is your guide to understand CQC Compliance in interior fit-outs, giving you areas to look out for and showing how working with a specialist can benefit you.

Starting with key compliance points - we have explained each area by regulation, including how we aim to help make your project a success.

What regulations do we follow as your design and build contractor?

Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Regulation 15.

• Are your premises safe and suitable?
• This is a regulation intended to ensure your services are delivered clean and suitable for its purpose. They want to gauge whether your services are appropriately monitored and maintained, delivering patient-centric care.
• Are you storing treatments and equipment properly because as a medical service provider it is your responsibility to ensure they're kept clean, safe and fit for purpose. We always discuss storage options and work this into the way your business and staff operate.
• This goes hand in hand with your contractors, supplies and supply chains. Your role is to ensure other parties also meet the regulatory standards and that you're also storing their equipment appropriately.
• Premises and equipment must be clean, secure and suitable for its intended purpose. This includes properly maintained flooring and surface tops - which is why we recommend medical grade vinyl flooring.
• Also should you require gases, chemicals or a sterile environment in your clinic, we can suggest the appropriate flooring and ventilation for your business to be fully compliant (E.g. laminar flow).
• Your services should be reflected in your facilities, delivering care in a safe and effective manner.

Infection Prevention and Control: Regulation 12

• This is a legal requirement and fundamental aspect of delivering high quality healthcare, where you must follow an extremely high level of cleanliness and hygiene standards in make sure patient health, safety, care and treatment is safe guarded.
• The best way to achieve this is through implementing a comprehensive infection prevention and control (IPC) measure into your healthcare facility.
• These systems and measures include: regular cleaning and disinfection; hand hygiene protocols; PPE; Isolation procedures; staff training; auditing and reporting; patient education and environmental controls.

The Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance

• Within fit outs, you design should facilitate cleanliness - making it apart of your daily routine.
• Using practical finishes that are impervious and seamless heavily minimises damage to surfaces and flooring. It's also a good idea to run hard flooring slightly up walls, ensuring it is easy to clean, where hygiene and infection prevention is a priority.
• You flooring can also deliver benefits to improve patients outcomes and staff productivity. For example, walking comfort, low rolling resistance as well as meeting static electricity, fire, health and safety standards.
• The use of colour within your facility can connote a healing environment, which is especially reassuring for patients who may be stress or unwell. You should always aim to have your staff and patients in mind when choosing materials, colours and finishes.?This is because designing with bio-philic style and calming colour palette is likely to promote wellbeing and spatial awareness.
• Furthermore, we suggest considering automatic or hands-free utilities - e.g. doors, taps, lights, toilet flushes.
• Our design team can fine tune your design to adhere to regulatory standards and is able to be transparent with what is allowed and what needs to be put in place.
• As a family business, we are committed to medical standards and have specialist knowledge in this area. If you are unsure on who to go to regarding your medical/clinic fit out, we always suggest going to a specialist as it will save you both time and money.

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

• It is your responsibility to ensure employees, patients and visitors remain safe.
• Doing so means conducting risk assessments so the necessary measures can be taken place to mitigate risks.
• Your interior fit out should consider measures to prevent hazards in the workplace as well as include clear storage spaces to hold important paperwork.

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

• Develop protocols for effectively managing and mitigating potential hazards and threats to the well-being and security of individuals.
• We always take tripping hazards, hazardous chemicals and the way you work into consideration - preventing injuries from incorrect manual handling.
• Having an area for staff training is also heavily useful for health and safety education.

Equality Act 2010

• It is imperative to ensure that facilities are accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities, therefore it is necessary to make reasonable adjustments - accommodating to the diverse needs of all individuals.
• Our designs are tailored to meet a wide variety of abilities and needs. This includes adaptive furnitures and fixtures, sensory designs (lighting, textures and colour palettes).
• Our approach ensures that the spaces we produce are not only visually pleasing, but also safe and supportive.

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

• Perform fire hazard evaluations.
• Implement suitable fire detection and alarm systems.
• Guarantee the presence of well-defined evacuation protocols and an adequate number of fire exits.

Health Building Notes (HBNs) and Health Technical Memoranda (HTMs)

• HBNs offer comprehensive guidance on the planning and design of healthcare facilities, covering technical areas such as ventilation (HTM 03-01) and water systems (HTM 04-01)
• Part M: Building Accessibility and Usage.
• Part B: Ensuring Fire Safety.
• Part K: Preventing Falls, Collisions, and Impacts.
• Part L: Energy Conservation and Fuel Efficiency.
• Part F: Ensuring Adequate Ventilation.

Regulation 10: Dignity and Respect

• Patients have more choices within the healthcare industry and it's typically very personal to each individual, which is why your amenities need to become more apparent within your design.
• Privacy and respect is known for having the most impact on a patients delivery experience, well being and retention.
• Creating spaces for the future advocate for a design that respects patients privacy. This can be through: acoustic controlled spaces, waiting rooms, private consultation rooms, enclosed emergency bays, blinds, online check-ins and technology like silent nurse calls within the rooms for comfort and assistance.
• The best practices provide a higher level of patient consideration, leading to greater patient satisfaction. This is a necessity for your business as it not only builds trust but promotes an ethical environment.

Regulation 15: Maintenance of Facilities, Premises and Equipment

• Regular maintenance and servicing are crucial to uphold the performance and condition of all equipment and facilities.

NHS Sustainable Development Strategy

• Enhance sustainability in building design and operation by implementing practices that minimise environmental impact, such as optimising energy efficiency and effectively managing waste.

Regulation 17: Good Governance, Consultation and Feedback

• To drive improvements in the physical environment, it is crucial to have effective systems in place for regularly gathering feedback from patients and staff.
• Within your design, having areas for feedback is crucial for continuous improvements. This also adheres to CQC standards.

Summary:

• Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Regulation 15.
• Infection Prevention and Control: Regulation 12
• The Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Equality Act 2010
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
• Health Building Notes (HBNs) and Health Technical Memoranda (HTMs)
• Regulation 10: Dignity and Respect
• Regulation 15: Maintenance of Facilities, Premises and Equipment
• NHS Sustainable Development Strategy
• Regulation 17: Good Governance, Consultation and Feedback

Key Points for Interior Design and Fit-Out:

Materials and Finishes: Opt for long-lasting, easy-to-clean, and environmentally safe materials.

Lighting and Ventilation: Make sure to have sufficient natural and artificial lighting, along with appropriate ventilation systems.

Ergonomics: Design environments that minimise physical stress and potential harm for both employees and individuals receiving care.

Way finding: The facility is equipped with easily understandable signs and a well-organised layout to assist patients and visitors in finding their way around.

Privacy and Confidentiality: Ensure that the design of consultation and treatment rooms prioritises the preservation of patient confidentiality.

Therapeutic Environment: Design elements such as colours, artwork, and cozy furnishings can be utilised to establish a serene and healing ambiance.

By adhering to these guidelines and regulations, healthcare facilities can ensure they meet CQC requirements and provide a safe, effective, and pleasant environment for both patients and staff. You can also significantly reduce the risk of infections, promoting safe and effective care for your patients.