Takeaway's from CQC new regulatory approach and Provider Portal Roll Out - Webinar

Main headline takeaways from today’s CQC webinar – New Regulatory Approach and Provider Portal Roll Out, as I understand it are:

1.??????New Single Assessment Framework (SAF) – regulatory approach commencement.

a.???As released earlier this week new SAF will be rolled out in the South network of the CQC geographical areas.

b.???The roll out will then move onto London East, Midlands, and North networks between November 23-March 24 with all providers being move to the new SAF by end of March 2024.

c.????Timeline for other areas – currently this is not available. However, CQC lead stated that, were possible, 2-3 months’ notice of changes are to be given on move to SAF working.

d.???For those areas not in the South, the existing KLOE Framework will be used to inspect and conclude assessments.

2.??????New SAF guidance for providers – lots of information already released on CQC page ‘Our Approach to New Assessment’ including the ‘Key Questions and Quality Statements’. ?Further guidance and information is due to be released by the end of August 2023, including:

a.???How CQC will apply the assessment framework at registration.

b.???Policy Position on how often CQC will assess providers.

c.????Detail on how CQC will transition between their old model (KLOE) and a ratings model that is underpinned by scoring.

d.???Providing each sector of service type with a set of ‘Priority Quality Statements’ within a defined area or sector, to highlight frequency of assessment.

e.???Evidence CQC will look at in order to assess each ‘Quality Statement’ for each service/sector type.

f.?????Detail of how they will regulate certain providers such as NHS Trusts.

g.???Information on how CQC are approaching services that CQC do not currently rate, such as dental providers.

3.??????New CQC ‘Provider Portal’ – enhanced system building on existing platform to create a new platform where providers can return notifications, registration detail, and performance detail. As well as this the platform will provide an area for CQC to share benchmarked information they hold on providers on performance collected from other areas and partners. Details of this roll-out include:

Please note: all correspondence on this from CQC will be directed to the providers Nominated Individual listed on CQC website, so ensure that is the most accurate person to contact.

a.???From August – 230 providers will be contacted via email (nominated individual) inviting them to take part in the testing of the new portal.

b.???Between September-November – further invites will be sent out to providers, again inviting them to set up on new portal and start to return information via that platform.

c.????November – portal will become live, and all providers will then be invited to transfer over or create account on this new portal, by the end of March ’24.

d.???Provider information record – interesting sub-note in questions posed on PIR. It was stated that the aim of the new portal is to remove the excel document (PIR) currently in place as information could be gathered and placed on the portal, such as:

???????????i.?????Other information collected from agencies for example NHS England or Local Authority.

???????????ii.?????Information collected from provider and held within this portal area.

It is clear that these changes are now moving at speed and that all providers should have an understanding on what this will mean for their services by the end of March ’24, to ensure they are not left behind or playing catch up, as well as potentially being at risk of non-compliance.

Should you business/organisation like to talk about the potential changes or impact that they might have on services then please don’t hesitate to drop me a message and I’ll be happy to discuss.