CQC Standards

What are the CQC Standards?

When we talk about ‘the CQC Standards’ we are either referring to:

• CQC Fundamental Standards
• Or the CQC 5 Standards

Both of these sets of standards are linked but used in different ways, get the details you need below:

CQC 5 Standards

When CQC inspectors evaluate any care service they are guided by 5 areas: The CQC 5 Standards. People refer to these areas collectively by different names, you might sometimes hear the CQC 5 Domains. Different terminology, same application in practice.

The CQC 5 Standards are: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-Led (more detail to follow below).

Each of the CQC Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) sits within one of the CQC 5 Standards. The KLOEs are like the constituent parts, the building blocks that make up each of the 5 Standards. The KLOEs are used exactly like they sound, the inspector uses them like any other inspector, as the line of enquiry (or question) to test a care service.

For example, when a CQC inspector wants to see if a service is ‘Safe’ (Safe is one of the CQC 5 Standards), they will select one of the KLOEs under ‘Safe’ and use this as the criteria to test the service against.

Let’s first cover what the 5 Standards are in a bit more detail.

What are the 5 CQC Standards?

To reiterate, it's important not to confuse the CQC's 5 Standards with the CQC Fundamental Standards. It's confusing terminology I agree! Especially as the 5 Standards were drawn out of the CQC Fundamental Standards.

Let’s clear things up. The CQC Fundamental Standards are the minimum requirements a care provider needs to meet. The Fundamental Standards are enshrined in law as part of The Health and Social Care Act 2008. Read the CQC's summary of the Fundamental Standards.

Out of the Fundamental Standards the CQC created their 5 Standards:

(In no particular order)

• Safe: Are service users, staff and visitors are protected from abuse and avoidable harm?

• Effective: Is people’s care, treatment and support achieving good outcomes, promotes a good quality of life and is evidence-based where possible?

• Caring: Do staff involve and treat people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect? Is the culture of the organisation a caring one?

• Responsive: Are services are organised so that they meet people’s needs? This is a little vague. Essentially ‘Responsive’ concerns whether care is shaped to fit the individual. Is it flexible to those preferences and needs? Does it adapt to fit if those needs or preferences change? It maps on very closely to the principles of Person Centred Care

• Well-led: Does leadership, management and governance of the organisation assure the delivery of high-quality person-centred care, support learning and innovation, and promote an open and fair culture?

CQC Fundamental Standards

What are the CQC Fundamental Standards?

The CQC 5 Standards discussed above were made out of the CQC Fundamental Standards which came earlier.

The CQC Fundamental Standards are the minimum requirements a care provider needs to meet when providing care in England. The CQC Fundamental Standards were enshrined in law as part of The Health and Social Care Act in 2008, the main legislation that covers health and care provision in England.

As the CQC says, the CQC Fundamental Standards are those standards “below which care must never fall”, so more the minimum than an aspiration.

The CQC Fundamental Standards in full:

Person-centred care

Everyone’s care or treatment should be tailored to them, meeting their needs and preferences. People should be empowered and involved in designing and determining their health and care. Read more about how to provide person centred care.

Dignity and respect

People receiving care must be always treated with dignity and respect. Including:

• Being treated as equals
• Given privacy when a person wants or needs it.
• Given any support they need to remain independent
• Given support to stay involved in the local community

Consent

Anybody receiving care (or those legally acting on their behalf) must give consent before any care or treatment is given. Ensure consent is recorded, sought, and re-sought whenever necessary.

Safety

People must not be given unsafe care or treatment. They must not be put at risk of avoidable harm. Providers of care must assess risks (using regular risk assessments) and ensure staff have been appropriately screened, have the right training, qualifications, experience and behaviours to keep the people they care for safe.

Safeguarding from abuse

People using care services must not suffer any form of abuse or improper treatment while receiving care.

 Including:

• Neglect
• Degrading or discriminatory treatment
• Unnecessary or disproportionate restraint
• Inappropriate limits on freedom.
• Physical, verbal or psychological abuse

Food and drink

People must be given enough to eat and drink in order to maintain good health whenever they are receiving care.

Premises and equipment

Places where care is delivered and equipment used in care mist be kept clean, suitable, safe and secure. All equipment must be used properly.

Complaints

People must be able to complain about care services. Providers of care must have a system in place so they can properly record, handle and respond to complaints.

Complaints must be investigated thoroughly and corrective action must be taken where necessary.

Good governance

Care providers must have plans and effective governance systems in place to ensure they meet the CQC’s Fundamental Standards (listed here), improve the service and reduce any risks to people (including staff) health, safety and welfare.

Staffing

Care providers must have adequate numbers of staff, that are competent, qualified and experienced enough to deliver care to the level of the CQC Fundamental Standards (those listed here). Staff must have the necessary training, support and supervision to do their job properly.

Fit and proper staff

Providers of care must screen candidates for criminal records, DBS and work history. They must have strong recruitment and monitoring procedures in place.

Duty of candour

Care providers must be open and transparent with the people they support and regulators of standards in health and social care (i.e. the CQC) If something goes wrong, they should inform the person being cared for and where relevant the regulator and other stakeholders.

Display of ratings

Providers of care must display the care service’s CQC rating in a place where people receiving care can see it. They must also include this information on their website and make their latest inspection report available too.