New rules mean health and care providers must display CQC ratings

Care service users can now see Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings displayed on providers’ premises and websites.

Rules that took effect on 1 April mean health and care providers must prominently display their CQC rating, and may be issued with a fixed penalty notice if they fail to display the information correctly.

The CQC has created a series of posters that will be automatically generated through its website for all rated services, and may be downloaded and printed.

Its chief executive David Behan, said: “We know that our ratings are an important source of information to support people’s choice of service and the aim of this new requirement is all about helping to achieve better awareness and greater transparency for members of the public about which care services are ‘outstanding’, ‘good’, ‘require improvement’ or ‘inadequate’.”

The CQC has issued guidance on displaying the ratings.

As of 9 March the CQC had published the following performance ratings:

NHS bodies

• 1 Outstanding
• 20 Good
• 44 Requires Improvement
• 8 Inadequate

Adult Social Care

• 18 Outstanding
• 985 Good
• 469 Requires Improvement
• 125 Inadequate

General Practices

• 11 Outstanding
• 294 Good
• 38 Requires Improvement
• 9 Inadequate

Mark Smulian