Rob Hargreaves, Information Service Manager at Skills for Care, talks to us about the tools and resources available to providers who are striving for the top rating under CQC’s new single assessment framework.
Only about 5% of care services in the England have achieved an outstanding rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), essentially the gold standard in adult social care.
For any care provider, attaining an Outstanding rating means they are among the very best, providing exceptional care that exceeds standards in safety, effectiveness, and overall quality. But what does it take to reach such a level under the CQC’s latest assessment approach?
Designed to streamline and enhance the consistency of inspections, the single assessment framework replaces the key lines of enquiry (KLOE) with 34 new quality statementsi. They’ve also largely limited the gathering of evidence to interviews and documented evidence, unless you’re a residential home, in which case you may be subject to observations too. This means to demonstrate your service is delivering outstanding care, CQC inspectors and assessors will need to be told about this and have what they heard backed up by robust evidence.
Since the introduction of the CQC’s single assessment framework, achieving the highest rating seems to have become even more challenging, with very few Outstanding rated assessments under the new framework.
Despite this, the CQC has made it clear that they plan to ramp up the number of assessments in the coming months, specifically looking to celebrate and showcase best practices in care. The goal is not only to maintain high standards but to help more care providers understand what excellence looks like under the new system.
At Skills for Care, we recognise the changes brought about by the single assessment framework can be stressful when striving for top marks. In response, we have been working to update our ‘Delivering outstanding care’ii seminar and eLearning module, iiialigning them with the new assessment criteria. These revised resources will be available at the end of October 2024, and they aim to give care providers a clear roadmap to achieving excellence under the new framework. Through these updated tools and Skills for Care’s comprehensive GO Online: Inspection toolkitiv – care providers can better understand the key elements that contribute to an Outstanding rating, from leadership and staff development to creating a compassionate and person-centred care environment. It will also guide providers through the evidence collection process, illustrating how the quality of evidence provided plays a crucial role in assessment outcome. The seminar and eLearning modules focus’ not only on meeting minimum standards but on exceeding them in ways that lead to consistently outstanding outcomes for the people they support. For any care service seeking to achieve an Outstanding rating, connecting with The Outstanding Societyv is essential. This is a free community that is open to all providers regardless of rating and is dedicated to sharing expertise, insights and practical tips relating to achieving better CQC ratings.
The Outstanding Society offers a unique opportunity for care providers to understand what outstanding care looks like in real-world settings. They provide case studies, resources, webinars, peer support and a community of like-minded professionals committed to continuous improvement.
As the CQC aims to increase the number of assessments in the coming months, there is an even greater focus on what truly sets exceptional care apart. It’s clear that under the single assessment framework, to achieve the best rating possible, CQC is looking for clear and quality evidence of care exceeds requirements in a noticeable way.
Achieving outstanding may be difficult, but it is not out of reach. By leveraging the right resources, understanding the new single assessment framework, and learning from those who have already succeeded, more services can strive for—and achieve—the highest levels of care excellence.
@skillsforcare
skillsforcare.org.uk
