How healthcare providers can use CQC guidelines to help drive change in their organisation

A recent article in the Nursing Times revealed that only 21% of nurses and midwives in the UK were content with the number of employees present at their organisations. This information was plucked from the latest NHS Staff Survey, and appears only to represent the tip of the iceberg regarding healthcare professionals and their workplace satisfaction.

While this highlights a major need for change in this industry, there is thankfully a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of the CQC (Care Quality Commission) Guidelines. The CQC works to inspect and monitor UK health and social care services, ensuring that welfare standards are high and rules are being adhered to.

With this in mind, a spokesperson at Radar Healthcare, has revealed how the CQC inspection guidelines and forming a relationship with this body can drive change and quality in these organisations.

1. Build a relationship with the CQC
   

One of the easiest ways to ensure that any issues are resolved quickly and efficiently is to create a connection with the CQC inspection manager. Getting in touch with this organisation can be done by telephone, fax, or letter, which usually suggests a fair amount of wait time ahead.

If there is an issue within your organisation that is causing regular problems, having a good relationship with the CQC would minimise the total amount lost, as the issue could be resolved more quickly. As well as this, it would make overly formal regulatory situations less likely to occur, allowing you and your team to conserve energy to expend elsewhere.

2. Be proactive
   

When it comes to work-based problems, it can become very tempting to ignore things and carry on as usual. While this can seem like the easier option at the time, it could mean that an easily-resolved issue is left to grow into something much more intimidating.

This can be especially true in cases of alleged abuse, neglect, or any situation that contains sensitive information. However, despite the fact that it will inevitably lead to a difficult conversation with a CQC employee, being open, honest and up-front will almost certainly allow you to get to the bottom of the issue before it gets any worse.

3. Compare different service ratings
   

A quick inspection of the CQC website will allow you to delve into previously-rated care homes. It is easy to spot where each location thrived and where they went wrong, as the full documentation can be downloaded for each location.

You can effortlessly see what each care home specialises in – from learning disabilities to personal care – allowing you to make specific comparisons to your own place of work. For example, are any of the issues included in a report for a care home rated ‘Inadequate’ present in your organisation? Do you think your place of work would score well, based on the points system?

Having a good understanding of how the rating system works, as well as knowing how the software operates, is guaranteed to make it easier for you to notice something in your own work that the CQC may not approve of.

4. Embrace digital care systems
   

Implementing the appropriate software in your place of work can make it far easier for the CQC to monitor your progress. It is also simpler for them to evidence clear improvement. For example, if your organisation previously had an issue with something that is now being improved, it would be beneficial for the CQC employees to be able to see that in real-time.

This would also make reporting problems a lot easier to do, as well as make it simple to record the previous actions of employees throughout the company. For example, are there more accidents at a particular time? Are there any visible patterns occurring? Having the correct software in place would allow you to understand themes and trends, as well as make it easier to put actions into place to stop the issues from happening in the future.

5. Embody a culture of improvement
   

It can be tempting to fall into the habit of ticking boxes without considering the implications. For example, a recent Radar Healthcare blog revealed that 57% of NHS staff were struggling to meet demands, possibly down to the same issues being continuously overlooked. Without a culture of improvement, nothing will genuinely change, which will cause staff morale throughout the healthcare sector to continue to deplete.

Another surefire way to encourage change is to always be prepared for a CQC inspection. This way, the CQC can witness a true representation of your organisation and staff, rather than seeing people panic under pressure.

Auditing software from Radar Healthcare leaves no stone unturned when it comes to an upcoming examination, making it quick and easy to assign tasks, ensure everything is compliant, analyse KPIs, and create schedules, all in one place.