This week the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published A Fresh Start for the Regulation of Ambulance Services, outlining their priorities for improving how CQC monitors, inspects and regulates ambulance services.
The document sets out the conversations that the CQC want to have with all of their stakeholders in the ambulance sector and signals their commitment to making changes with them. It describes how the CQC will work with people who use services, their families and carers, and service providers and other organisations to deliver these priorities. It outlines the core services that they propose to inspect and rate in ambulance providers. It also poses a number of specific questions that the CQC would welcome feedback on.
In their consultation document, A Fresh Start, the CQC said that they will inspect and regulate different services in different ways, based on what has the most impact on the quality of people’s care. However, there are some general principles that guide the future ‘operating model’. They apply to:
* The way the CQC register those that apply to provide services.
* The standards that those services meet.
* How the CQC uses data, evidence and information to monitor services.
* How the CQC work with and hear from people who use services, their carers and families in our work.
* The expert inspections that the CQC carry out.
* The information the CQC provides to the public on their judgements about the quality of care, including a rating to help people compare services.
* The actions the CQC take to require improvements and, where necessary, the action they take to make sure those responsible for poor care are held accountable for it.
These principles will guide the CQC’s regulation of ambulance services but the detail will be specific to the sector. The CQC will ask their five key questions of all services – are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs and well-led.
The CQC will begin to pilot the new inspection programme from July, with expert inspection teams. This will provide an understanding of how the new approach will need to be developed for the different organisations.
