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NHS care watchdog CQC to overhaul hospital inspection system NHS care watchdog CQC to overhaul hospital inspection system
(2 months later)
The NHS care watchdog is abandoning its discredited way of inspecting hospitals and instead plans to use much larger teams of inspectors, including patients, to do in-depth investigations "lasting more than a week".The NHS care watchdog is abandoning its discredited way of inspecting hospitals and instead plans to use much larger teams of inspectors, including patients, to do in-depth investigations "lasting more than a week".
The first chief inspector of hospitals for the NHS, Sir Mike Richards, who is based at the Care Quality Commission and is a cancer specialist, said the new system of scrutinising standards of care would be robust and transparent and help restore public confidence in hospitals after care scandals such as Mid Staffordshire and Morecambe Bay.The first chief inspector of hospitals for the NHS, Sir Mike Richards, who is based at the Care Quality Commission and is a cancer specialist, said the new system of scrutinising standards of care would be robust and transparent and help restore public confidence in hospitals after care scandals such as Mid Staffordshire and Morecambe Bay.
Under the scheme, inspection teams are to be larger, with between 20 and 30 people, including five or six doctors and the same number of nurses, managers, allied health professionals and patients (classed as "experts by experience").Under the scheme, inspection teams are to be larger, with between 20 and 30 people, including five or six doctors and the same number of nurses, managers, allied health professionals and patients (classed as "experts by experience").
The teams will be trained by the CQC.The teams will be trained by the CQC.
The overhaul has been forced on the CQC because the much less demanding inspection regime it ran, from its creation in 2009, failed to uncover poor care at several hospitals.The overhaul has been forced on the CQC because the much less demanding inspection regime it ran, from its creation in 2009, failed to uncover poor care at several hospitals.
The scheme builds on the methodology employed by the medical director of the NHS, Sir Bruce Keogh, in his review of the high mortality rates at 14 hospital trusts, a report published Tuesday.The scheme builds on the methodology employed by the medical director of the NHS, Sir Bruce Keogh, in his review of the high mortality rates at 14 hospital trusts, a report published Tuesday.
Each inspection will entail teams of inspectors examining care across a hospital's services and always in eight key areas, including A&E, maternity and paediatric units, care for the frail elderly and end of life care.The new approach, which will be backed up by Ofsted-style ratings for hospitals from January, could lead to units being judged "inadequate" and perhaps closed, Richards said.Each inspection will entail teams of inspectors examining care across a hospital's services and always in eight key areas, including A&E, maternity and paediatric units, care for the frail elderly and end of life care.The new approach, which will be backed up by Ofsted-style ratings for hospitals from January, could lead to units being judged "inadequate" and perhaps closed, Richards said.
The scheme will be trialled, before Christmas, at 18 hospital trusts, including six where the CQC has concerns about care quality. None of the 18 are among the 14 investigated by Keogh's review of high mortality rates at hospitals.The scheme will be trialled, before Christmas, at 18 hospital trusts, including six where the CQC has concerns about care quality. None of the 18 are among the 14 investigated by Keogh's review of high mortality rates at hospitals.
Richards said: "There is too much variation in the quality of care patients receive. Poor hospitals will need to up their game and learn from the best. I will not tolerate poor or mediocre care."Richards said: "There is too much variation in the quality of care patients receive. Poor hospitals will need to up their game and learn from the best. I will not tolerate poor or mediocre care."
Mike Farrar, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents hospital heads, more than 70% of whom oppose the hiring of a chief inspector of hospitals, advised that the new inspection system needed to be "comprehensive without being overly burdensome" and not create extra bureaucracy.Mike Farrar, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents hospital heads, more than 70% of whom oppose the hiring of a chief inspector of hospitals, advised that the new inspection system needed to be "comprehensive without being overly burdensome" and not create extra bureaucracy.
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