CQC streamlines approach to social care assessment

The Care Quality Commission has unveiled an overhaul in its approach to assessing quality for health and adult social care.

The watchdog will now focus on three outcomes for 2010/11, rather than seven. They are:

• Improved health and wellbeing
• Increased choice and control, and
• Maintaining personal dignity and respect.

“We will pay particular attention to the way in which safeguarding, putting people first and use of resources have been key drivers for effective delivery of these outcomes,” the CQC said.

“This will provide a clear focus to the assessment and has been developed with key stakeholders, including people who use services.”

The Commission insisted that its approach would be “targeted, proportionate, risk-based and make the most efficient use of publicly available data”. It said it will publish detailed guidance on the 2010/11 assessment of councils in the autumn.

The current programme of service inspections will conclude this month, and the CQC is proposing to develop the new approach by spring 2011.

“These revised service inspections will have a focus on the primary responsibility of local authorities in adult safeguarding, though with the flexibility to address over time other areas of concern in terms of outcomes for more vulnerable groups in the community,” it said.

The shake-up follows a consultation that received more than 462 responses to the CQC’s proposals.