People and their families who use care services will soon be able to make more informed choices about their care by seeing first-hand if the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has judged them as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate.
New rules mean health and care providers will have to make arrangements to prominently display their CQC rating from 1 April 2015.
Following a public consultation in February that generated more than 730 responses, CQC’s final guidance for providers on how to display their performance ratings has now been issued.
CQC has developed a suite of posters that will be automatically generated through the regulator’s website for all care services that receive a CQC rating to download, print and display.
People can expect to start seeing performance ratings on provider websites as well as across premises, public entrances and waiting areas of care services from 1 April. Providers who have already been rated have 21 days from 1 April to comply.
In-line with CQC’s enforcement policy, appropriate action – including imposing a fine (fixed penalty notice) – can be taken should CQC find providers are in breach of the regulation.
Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission, 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.
“I am determined for CQC to be on the side of people, and their families, who are receiving health and adult social care services so they can get access to safe, high quality and compassionate services that they have absolutely every right to expect.”
Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, said:
“By making inspection ratings more visible, we are helping people make more informed choices about their care, celebrating success and driving up standards.
"We want to have the safest health and social care system in the world and we know in the wake of Mid Staffs that transparency is vital in helping to improve standards of care. We have made significant changes to become safer and more transparent - this is another important milestone.”
Heléna Herklots, Chief Executive at Carers UK, added:
“Ensuring that loved ones are being treated with dignity and respect is of paramount importance for families and they need to be able to access clear, independent and easy to find information.
"The new requirements on providers to display their CQC rating will help inform those in need of care, and their families, about the quality of care being provided."
CQC’s final guidance for care providers on how to display their ratings is available to view here.
Follow CQC on Twitter @CareQualityComm
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For media enquiries, call the CQC press office on 020 7448 9401 during office hours or out of hours on 07789 876 508. For general enquiries, call 03000 61 61 61.
I am determined for CQC to be on the side of people, and their families, who are receiving health and adult social care services so they can get access to safe, high quality and compassionate services that they have absolutely every right to expect.
David Behan, Chief Executive, Care Quality Commission