Today we have published new guidance for inspectors on closed cultures. A closed culture is a poor culture in which people are at an increased risk of harm, including abuse and breaches of human rights.
The new guidance will enable CQC to better identify and respond to services that might be at risk of developing closed cultures. To produce this guidance we worked with people who use services, Experts by Experience, families, Local Healthwatch and stakeholders to produce this.
All inspectors and regulatory colleagues will be required to undertake a series of training sessions throughout summer 2020 on the guidance and closed cultures more broadly.
Help shape our work
We are committed to working with people who use services, families, providers, frontline staff and other stakeholders to improve the way we inspect closed cultures.
One of the ways we will be involving people in this work is through an Expert Advisory Group. We are looking for people who are able to join the group from the very start in order to influence the work and provide constructive challenge throughout. We will be giving more details about this group in the next month, but we want to let you know it is coming.
We are looking for people who have the following experience, this can either be through lived experience or through professional expertise:
- Hospitals that care for autistic people or those with a learning disability
- Mental health hospitals, where people are detained under the Mental Health Act
- Services that use Deprivation of Liberty safeguards through the Mental Capacity Act including social care services.
We will be allocating places via an Expression of Interest process. If you would like to be considered for this advisory group, please contact: closedculturesengagement@cqc.org.uk to receive a form and more information.
For more information please see the webpage and a blog from Kate Terroni, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care.
