Dot MetcalfJeanette BerryApril 2013

CQC Working with the Healthwatch Network

Introduction

• Care Quality Commission - introduction and recent developments

• How we will work with local Healthwatch

• Relationships

• Information

• Communication

• How we will work with Healthwatch England

• Where to go for more advice or information

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What does the CQC do?

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator for health and adult social care services in England.

We make sure that care provided by hospitals, dentists, ambulances, care homes and services in people’s own homes and elsewhere meets national standards of quality and safety.

We protect the interests of vulnerable people, including those whose rights are restricted under the Mental Health Act.

We started to check on the care provided by GP practices and other primary medical services on 1st April 2013.

CQC in the North

• A North Region with a Regional Director of Operations

• Two Heads of Regional Compliance

• 26 Compliance Managers

• Approx 260 inspectors (home workers)

• 3 Regional Offices and Business Team in Preston, Leeds and Newcastle

• National Contact Centre and back office functions in Newcastle.

• National Registration Team dealing with new registrations and changes of status

• National Headquarters in London and some specialist teams (pharmacy, mental health)

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Better information for the public including ratings

Improved assessments of services and Chief Inspectors

Stronger national and local partnerships - Healthwatch

A more rigorous test for organisations applying for registration with CQC

Changing our approach to the NHS acute trusts and mental health -New fundamental standards

Improve our assessments of how services work together – for example dementia care

Strategic Review and Our revised direction

With NHS Trusts we will focus on five areas of quality and safety

These will cover the following:

Are services safe?

Are they effective?

Are they caring?

Are they well-led?

Are they responsive to what people tell them?

We will say more about this over the next few months

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CQC and the Healthwatch network

• CQC has a statutory duty to work with local Healthwatch from 1st April 2013

• We must also respond to issues raised to us by Healthwatch England

• So we will work with both national and local Healthwatch. This will be an important part of our new strategy to make greater use of the evidence from people’s experiences of care

• We will build local relationships but also involve local Healthwatch in national CQC developments – through advisory groups and working with the new Healthwatch networks as they develop

CQC and local Healthwatch - relationships

• We will make contact with each local Healthwatch organisation

• Invitations to Regional Roadshows in the North

• Your Healthwatch will know your local CQC manager

• Together you will agree local arrangements for keeping in touch, sharing information and handling concerns

• You will be supported with a guide for local Healthwatch about working with CQC (available May)

• Let us know who we should talk to in your Healthwatch

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CQC and local Healthwatch -Information

• Sharing information with each other about people’s experiences of care is key

• We hope Local Healthwatch will share concerns, trends in people’s comments, your enter and view plans and reports and other findings with CQC

• Please discuss and share your information with your local CQC manager. You can also ring us on 03000 616161 or email enquiries@cqc.org.uk Use these routes to make sure CQC receives your information

• We are in discussions with Healthwatch England about the best ways we can share information available on the Healthwatch hub in future.

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CQC and local Healthwatch - information

• In return, your CQC manager will discuss their forthcoming inspection programme with your manager/chair in confidence

• They will explore what information from your work we could use to inform these inspections. They will work with you to coordinate inspections and enter and view plans

• They will discuss recent local inspection findings where we have concerns

• They will tell you how we have been able to use your information and what difference it has made

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CQC and local Healthwatch - communication

All local Healthwatch will receive:

• A welcome letter from CQC in mid April

• A monthly e-bulletin from CQC starting late April

• CQC national reports and key press releases

Regional communications teams will also start to send press releases to local Healthwatch about local services in their area. This is usually when we want to alert you to concerns that may be reported in the local press.

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How we will work with Healthwatch England

• Healthwatch England are represented on the CQC board

• CQC and Healthwatch England will have a partnership agreement. This will set out where and how we and coordinate our work with the Healthwatch network

• We are developing how we share information from local Healthwatch in the best ways – and this will develop over 2013 as the Healthwatch hub develops

• We will also be working with Healthwatch England and the LGA as they develop their support to local Healthwatch and Healthwatch commissioners in the regions

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More information

Read the new CQC strategy on our website at

Care Quality Commission www.cqc.org.uk (available from 18th April)

Telephone 03000 616161 if you want to speak to someone at CQC

Email enquiries@cqc.org.uk if you want to request further information from CQC or to send us your information

Please email involvement.edhr@cqc.org.uk if you want to get involved in national CQC developments. This will take you directly to the involvement team

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Time for Questions?

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