CQC Compliance
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve tried to gather together some of our most frequently asked questions.
However, if there is something we fail to answer below please get in touch with us by phone or email and we’d be happy to help!
General FAQs
CQC Compliance are an organisation that specialises in supporting organisations to register and maintain compliance for health and social care providers with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
We employ former CQC inspectors, CQC registration managers, Clinical Policy writers, Clinical Nurses and our leadership team includes a GP, the former Head of Hospital Inspections at the CQC and the former Governance Director for Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are the independent regulator of health and social care in England. They register, monitor and inspect and rate services to check whether they meet the fundamental standards of quality and safety and they publish what they find, including performance ratings to enable people to have a choice about the health and social care services they access.
The CQC Compliance Client Portal is primarily used for the policies team to upload your bespoke policies and procedures. You can also use the Portal within your organisation by adding other staff members to it, where you can assign tasks, create meetings, and engage on the discussions page.
CQC Compliance was acquired by WorkNest in June 2021, the UK’s leading providers of outsourced Employment Law, HR and Health & Safety services. While our expertise will always be healthcare compliance, our position within the group allows our clients to access industry-leading specialist support from our 400+ colleagues across WorkNest.
Mock Inspections FAQs
They assess whether health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and they encourage care services to improve and act when needed to protect people who use services.
If you’re striving for excellence, the best way to prepare for a CQC inspection is to organise a mock inspection with our team. The CQC will like the fact you’ve booked a mock inspection, as it shows you have an internal auditing process and are actively looking to rectify compliance issues.
Our inspections team is made up of former CQC inspectors who understand the full inspections process and can support you to identify any issues before the CQC do, ensuring you are delivering a high-quality service that is well-led.
To book a mock inspection with our experienced team, call us today.
Your mock inspection will be conducted by a member of our highly experienced specialist inspections team. We mirror the Care Quality Commission’s process in its entirety – joining clients on site, producing a comprehensive CQC-style report. The added bonus is that we can provide detailed recommendations, action plans and additional support to resolve issues.
To find out more about our mock inspections, visit our dedicated page here.
We have an unparalleled team of former CQC inspectors, including the former Head of Hospital Inspections at the CQC.
Once we have conducted a mock inspection and ‘looked under the bonnet’ of a service, we can bespoke long-term, monthly support to rectify any issues we identify. For example, this could be policies and procedures, governance processes or training.
Registration FAQs
Your provider needs to be registered with the CQC if you are a ‘service provider’ that provides a regulated activity. A service provider can be an individual, a partnership or an organisation.
CQC Compliance can help you to register your organisation with the CQC. To find out more, visit our dedicated page here or call us today.
There are 15 areas of regulated activity in the UK which are listed in Schedule 1 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2012.
Page 6 of this document lists the regulated activities as defined by the CQC.
A CQC Registered Manager is someone who within your organisation that acts as the main point of contact for the CQC and is in charge of the day-to-day regulated activity.
The Registered Manager, along with the registered provider, is legally responsible and accountable for compliance with the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 and other associated regulations.
To be a Registered Manager within an Adult Social Care setting, it is advisable to have a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services, choosing the pathway Management of Adult Services or Management of Adult Residential Services.
However, for non-Adult Social Care clinicians, you may be a Registered Manager without the aforementioned qualifications, as long as you can show leadership in previous roles and have knowledge of the Regulated Activities.
CQC Compliance can help you through the Registered Manager interviews, as part of the registration process. To find out more, call us today.
A Nominated Individual is someone within your organisation that has the responsibility for supervising the management of the regulated activity. In very small organisations, it may be necessary for the same person to be both the Registered Manager and the Nominated Individual, but this should be avoided where possible.
You should register as an individual if you will be carrying out the regulated activity yourself (sometimes referred to as a ‘sole trader’). The individual does not need a Registered Manager but can employ one if they do not have the qualifications, skills and experience to manage the regulated activity.
CQC Compliance can help you to register your organisation with the CQC. To find out more, visit our dedicated page here or call us today.
You should register as a partnership if two or more individuals are carrying out a regulated activity together. Partnerships as a whole, as well as each individual partner, are responsible for ensuring that the regulated activities provided meet the requirements of the relevant regulations and enactments.
CQC Compliance can help you to register your organisation with the CQC. To find out more, visit our dedicated page here or call us today.
You should register as an organisation if you are a:
- Local Authority
- NHS Trust
- Registered company or charity
- Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
- Other corporate body
It is worth noting that organisations must have one or more Nominated Individuals and Registered Managers.
CQC Compliance can help you to register your organisation with the CQC. To find out more, visit our dedicated page here or call us today.
The Fundamental Standards, as laid out by the CQC, are the standards below which your care must never fall, and everyone has the right to expect them.
The Fundamental Standards are:
- Person-centred care
- Dignity and respect
- Consent
- Safety
- Safeguarding from abuse
- Food and drink
- Premises and equipment
- Complaints
- Good governance
- Staffing
- Fit and proper staff
- Duty of candour
- Display of ratings
The KLOEs are the five key questions that the CQC ask all of their care services. They are at the heart of the way the CQC regulate and help to bring focus to the things that matter the most to people.
They questions are:
- Are they safe?
- Are they effective?
- Are they caring?
- Are they responsive to people’s needs?
- Are they well-led?
A Statement of Purpose describes what you do, where you do it and who you do it for. The Statement of Purpose is essential when applying for registration as a new provider and needs to be accessible for everyone using your service.
If your application to the CQC has been refused, you will have received a Notice of Proposal, outlining the reasonings for refusal.
If you would like to apply again, your previous refusal does not affect any future application. The team at CQC Compliance will assess your application and endeavour to rectify where your organisation had failed to meet the CQC’s requirements.
We provide support in preparation for the CQC Interviews which are the final stage of the process, we provide comprehensive support in preparation for these interviews – delivered by former CQC inspectors who understand the process.
Bespoke Policies and Procedures FAQs
Policies and procedures set out the day-to-day guidelines for businesses and ensure that your service users and staff are kept safe, and mistakes are reduced. They must comply with legislation, reflect best practice, and adhere to the latest regulations.
Our expert policy writers at CQC Compliance can provide you with a full suite of bespoke policies and procedures to ensure your organisation registers and remains compliant with the CQC. To find out more, visit our dedicated page here or call us today.
At CQC Compliance, we don’t use generic or templated policies, we make sure that the policies we produce are bespoke to the client. We provide hands-on updates of your suite of bespoke policies and procedures in-line with CQC regulatory changes, whereas some of our competitors only notify you when need to update. Moreover, our team of 12 Policy Writers, all have specific specialisms, sector knowledge and come from a Clinical background – therefore, you won’t be talking to a salesperson, you’ll be talking to an expert.
Over the past 18 months, the CQC (Care Quality Commission) have clamped
down on ‘generic or templated’ policies. Bespoke policies ensure that you understand the running of your own organisation, and you can protect your staff and service users to the best of your ability. It means that you understand the intricacies of what goes into them and that you will drive service improvements whilst meeting the legal requirements of the – Health and Social Care Act 2008, the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 and other associated regulations.
We evidence our policies from the most up-to-date guidelines for best practice and are written to ensure that they meet national regulations and requirements. This is achieved through a team of expert policy writers with varied and extensive backgrounds, using reputable sources which includes NICE, CQC, Department of Health, Resuscitation Council UK and Social Care Institute for Excellence.
Ongoing Compliance Support FAQs
At CQC Compliance, we provide bespoke ongoing compliance support that ensures providers are well-supported as they look to improve their service. This can be in the form of on-site compliance support, monthly Quality and Compliance meetings, Registered Manager training, webinars and annual mock CQC inspections.
Our Ongoing Compliance Support is delivered overseen by our Care Quality team but engages each part of our organisation to ensure clients are receiving specialist support. This means that our clients receive support from former CQC inspectors, former CQC registration managers, Clinical Policy Writers, Clinical Nurses and a GP, former Governance Director and former Head of Hospital Inspections.
We offer a wide-range of services and aren’t prescriptive with our clients. We’ll speak with you about your requirements in-depth before we make a recommendation.
To find out more about how we can help you with our ongoing compliance support package, contact us today.