Regulation is at the core of ensuring that the health and care services delivered to citizens meet the highest standards we expect to receive. In 2024, healthcare providers in England will encounter a significant shift in regulatory assessments with the introduction of the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) new assessment approach.  

In this blog, we explore the crucial role of the CQC, the key changes in their assessment methods, and how JPen Medical can support care providers, including care homes and healthcare settings, to meet these new standards. 

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. It ensures that health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, person-centred, and high-quality care. The CQC monitors, inspects, and regulates services like hospitals, care homes, GP surgeries, prisons, and dental practices to make sure they meet the highest standards of quality and safety. 

The CQC’s new Single Assessment Framework – set to be rolled out to providers, local authorities, and integrated care systems across England by March 2024 – marks a departure from the previous way the key lines of enquiry (KLOEs) and prompts were used.  

Whilst the 5 key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led) and 4-point ratings scale (outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate) will stay central to CQC’s approach, in the new framework these will be underpinned by 'quality statements' or ‘We statements’ that directly relate to the regulations for health and care provision. 

Providers, commissioners, and system leaders are expected to live up to these statements, demonstrating their commitment to achieving high standards in each aspect of care. For example, under the question of ‘safe’, providers must be able to demonstrate a ‘safe environment’, exemplifying the statement, ‘We detect and control potential risks in the care environment. We make sure that the equipment, facilities, and technology support the delivery of safe care.’ Further in this blog, we’ll discuss how JPen Medical can support providers, particularly in meeting their commitment to a safe and effective environment. 

The Care Quality Commission’s new assessment framework for 2024 represents a significant shift in evaluating health and social care services in England. This change heralds a more nuanced approach to assessments, focusing on qualitative outcomes and tailored evidence – ensuring that people’s experiences of their care are central to the assessment. Here we identify the key changes: 

The CQC's previous method, the key lines of enquiry (KLOEs), is being replaced by a framework built around 'quality statements'. These statements, totalling 34 across different service areas, focus on what a good service should ideally look like. This move from a more prescriptive set of enquiries to a principles-based framework allows for a broader evaluation of service quality. 

The assessment will now rely on six categories of evidence: people's experiences of health and care services, feedback from staff and leaders, feedback from partners, observation, processes, and outcomes. A robust system of gathering evidence from across these categories will include interviews and phone calls with citizens, their families and representative organisations, surveys, and engagement events as well as direct observations on the premises by CQC inspectors and Specialist Professional Advisors (SpAs). 

This comprehensive approach ensures that various aspects of service provision are considered – especially what matters to people receiving care, giving a well-rounded view of the care quality. 

In a significant departure from the previous method, the new framework introduces a 4-point scoring system. Whilst assessments will continue to describe the overall quality of care using CQC’s 4 ratings, i.e., outstanding, good, requires improvement, or inadequate, scores will be given to the key evidence categories for each quality statement. 

Each quality statement will be assessed with scores ranging from 1 (indicating significant shortfalls) to 4 (demonstrating exceptional standards).  This scoring is designed to provide a more granular view of service performance, offering clearer insights into areas of excellence and those needing improvement. 

For example, for a rating of good, the score will inform CQC as to whether this is either; 

The introduction of a scoring system also aims to enhance transparency in how ratings are derived. This should provide healthcare providers with clearer guidance on where they stand and what is needed to improve or maintain their ratings. 

One of the more notable shifts in the new approach is the increased focus on people's experiences. This reflects the CQC's commitment to putting patient experiences at the heart of their assessments. It recognises that the quality of care is fundamentally about how patients feel they are treated and the outcomes they experience i.e. whether they are experience what matters to them. 

The new framework aims to be more responsive to changes in service provision. Unlike the previous method, which often captured a service’s performance at a fixed point in time, the new approach allows for a more dynamic understanding of quality over time. 

Recognising the diversity in health and social care services, the CQC’s new approach tailors evidence categories to different types of services. This ensures that the assessments are relevant and appropriately aligned with the nature of services provided. 

While the new framework offers opportunities for a more accurate representation of service quality, it also presents challenges. Providers will need to adapt to these changes, understanding how to align their practices with the new quality statements and evidence requirements. 

JPen Medical operates across several sectors, such as care homes, hospices, NHS hospitals, surgeries, and HM prisons. As experts in safety testing, JPen Medical plays a crucial role in assisting care providers to meet CQC standards, particularly in the realms of safety and effectiveness. 

With our comprehensive equipment testing services, including Medical Electrical Safety Testing and Equipment Calibration and Testing, JPen Medical ensures that healthcare providers' equipment is functioning optimally, adhering to the highest safety standards. 

JPen Medical offers a range of services including regular maintenance and safety checks of medical equipment. This not only helps in ensuring the equipment's operational efficiency but also aligns with the CQC's focus on safe and effective care provision. By utilising JPen Medical’s market leading services, care providers can demonstrate their commitment to maintaining high standards in patient care as required by the CQC. 

Conclusion 

The CQC's new assessment approach in 2024 brings a more nuanced and detailed focus on the quality of care in England. For healthcare and social care providers, staying ahead of these changes is crucial. Partnering with JPen Medical, which specialises in ensuring the safety and efficacy of medical equipment, is a proactive step towards meeting these evolving standards and continuing to provide excellent patient care. Contact us today for more information or to receive a quick quote.