The independent regulator of health
and social care in England

Update from CQC

24 April 2024

A regular update for providers and professionals working in healthcare services

New guidance: Assessing the well-led key question for NHS Trusts

We have published new guidance on assessing the well-led key question for NHS trusts. The guidance aims to support NHS trusts to understand what good leadership looks like. The guidance has been developed in collaboration with NHS England.

Using the 8 quality statements under the well-led key question will ensure our assessments have a strong focus on:

• leadership
• culture
• governance.

We are not making changes to how we rate at service level (or location level for acute trusts).

The first trust-level assessments under the single assessment framework will be based on an assessment of the 8 quality statements under the well-led key question. We’re taking this approach as it will give us a starting point and allow us to issue a first rating based on a full assessment at trust level.

Final report of the Cass review

Dr Hilary Cass has submitted her final report and recommendations to NHS England in her role as Chair of the Independent Review of gender identity services for children and young people. It’s important for all providers and professionals to follow latest best practice guidelines in the delivery of care. This relates to our Quality statement “delivering evidence based care and treatment” and Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities ) regulations 2014  regulation 12: safe care and treatment”.

Final guidance on visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices

We have now published final guidance to help providers understand and meet the new fundamental standard on visiting and accompany in care homes, hospitals, and hospices. This follows a consultation earlier this year, which was limited to our guidance about the new fundamental standards. We received 553 responses to the consultation.

In their responses people often expresses support for the principles contained in the guidance and fundamental standard and related this to their own experiences. We are grateful for everyone who took the time to respond.

We have published our guidance ahead of the timescale the government has set out for the regulation to come into force on 6 April 2024.

Read the guidance and news story for more information.

We have also updated our guidance to reflect recent changes to our regulation requiring full employment history for volunteers at health and care services. Appointing service providers will still be able to collect a full employment history should they deem it appropriate when appointing a volunteer to a given role. However, it will no longer be a statutory requirement. 

Independent Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews (ICETRs)

We recently announced that the Department of Health and Social Care asked us to take a lead on ICETRs for the next 2 years.

This followed one of the recommendations made in Baroness Hollins’ report, published last Autumn.

Review panels will start in late May. We will focus on ensuring that people who are autistic or who have a learning disability have an independent care and treatment review to move out of long term segregation and our wider aim of this programme is to reduce the use of long-term segregation nationally.

We will follow the previous process for setting up reviews and will contact hospitals and families through NHS local support systems that are already in place.

Shape Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) New Strategy and Criteria

HSSIB came into operation on 1 October 2023. They are a fully independent arm’s length body of the Department of Health and Social Care who investigate patient safety concerns across the NHS in England and in independent healthcare settings where safety learning could also help to improve NHS care.

They have recently launched of the public consultation for a new strategy and investigation criteria, the consultation is open now and will run until 16 May 2024. Your input is vital in helping make informed decisions and drive meaningful change.

Share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback through this survey. Take part and make your voice heard.

If you have any comments or questions, please contact comms@hssib.org.uk.

ICO reminds healthcare organisations about keeping patient data secure  

Following reports of a data breach at the London Clinic, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) would like to remind all healthcare organisations about the importance of keeping patient data secure.  

Patient data is highly sensitive information that must be handled with care. When accessing healthcare and other vital services, people need to trust that their medical information is safe and only available to authorised employees.   

Healthcare organisations should ensure:   

• Staff are thoroughly trained: Organisations should have data protection training in place that is role-specific, tailored and relevant to the tasks being completed. Staff should feel confident in handling people’s personal data safely and securely. It must be clear to staff about what records they are allowed to access.  
• Appropriate technical measures are in place: Appropriate measures, such as passwords and access controls, should be in place to ensure personal information can only be seen by people who need to use it.  
• Staff are clear on the data breach reporting process: An organisation must report misuse of personal data to the ICO if there is a risk to people’s rights and freedoms, which is often the case with sensitive medical information. This must be reported within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach. More information on breach reporting here.   

Other news

• We have published a joint statement from the Nursing and Midwifery Council, General Medical Council and CQC, on our support for the implementation of Martha's Rule by NHS England. Read more.
• The Information Commissioner's Office has published new guidance on Transparency in health and social care. Read more.
   

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