Factual accuracy check
When we have checked the quality of the draft assessment report, we will send it to the local authority to review. You will be able to check the factual accuracy and completeness of the information we have used as evidence to reach our judgements and ratings. The factual accuracy check process allows you to tell us:
- where information is factually incorrect
- where our evidence in the report may be incomplete.
This ensures we see and consider all relevant information that will form the basis of our judgements.
The assessment report does not need to reference all the evidence we gathered, but it should include the best evidence to support our judgements.
Once you receive your draft report, you will have 10 working days from the date of the email to review the report and submit any comments about factual accuracy.
We will not extend this period unless there are exceptional circumstances. If you are unable to submit your comments before the deadline, you must tell us why immediately in writing. We will use our discretion to determine whether there are exceptional circumstances.
If there are no factual inaccuracies in the report, you can confirm that you have reviewed it. We will then be able to publish the final version.
What you can correct
There are certain types of correction you can make:
- Typographical or numerical errors or, for example, incorrect job titles.
- Information that has contributed to a judgement, but which you believe is factually inaccurate. You will need to provide supporting evidence. This must relate to the position at the time of the assessment.
- Additional information, or information that was omitted, which you think we should consider. For example, you may have further examples of exemplary practice that demonstrate real benefits for people using your service, which may support a rating of outstanding rather than good. Again, this must be relevant to the time of the assessment.
The draft report is based on evidence we collected during our assessment. You can also send us information about action you have taken since the assessment that addresses the concerns we raised with you, or which is included in the draft report. The assessor will consider any further information you send us and determine whether the report should be amended.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, this new information will not form part of CQC’s decision around final judgements or ratings (where appropriate).
How we'll respond
The assessment manager will consider each comment submitted and any supporting information. They will respond to each comment, indicating whether we have amended the draft report and explaining our rationale.
If appropriate, the assessment manager may decide to revise the scoring. Amendments to scores may be at evidence category level within a quality statement or at quality statement level. When we send our response, we explain why a score has changed or not. Where there is a change to a score, our response will include a revised scoring grid and the final report.
The impact of any changes may result in revising the overall rating.
We will publish the final report on our website.
How we publish reports
We will publish assessment reports for local authorities on our website.
Our reports will:
- include a short summary of the key features of the local authority
- show our most up-to-date findings against the themes and for each quality statement
- focus on people’s experiences of care, including what people have said about their experience and how we used it in our assessments.
- include a description of areas that need to improve and areas of strength and good practice.
If we have rated the adult social care provision as either good or outstanding, you may choose to promote this using our promotional graphics for local authorities.
Notifying the Secretary of State of failing performance
Our reports will make clear any areas that require improvement. We consider local authorities to be best placed to lead their own improvement. Our assessments consider any improvement actions that a local authority has already put in place.
If we find that a local authority is failing to perform its functions under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, we must inform the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. This duty is under section 50 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008.
The duty is triggered where any quality statement receives a score of 1. This applies to all quality statements except those under the Leadership theme. These do not directly map to Part 1 of the Care Act.
When this happens, the Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care will write separately to:
- the Secretary of State to explain how we made our decision
- the Chief Executive and Director of Adult Social Services at the local authority to inform them that a section 50 notification has been made.
Following this notification, the Department of Health and Social Care will provide guidance and co-ordinate any improvement or intervention activity with the appropriate organisation (for example, NHS England, the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services).
This is described in the Operational framework for adult social care intervention in local authorities.