Today we’ve published new research and a position statement that will help us become an anti-racism organisation.
The position statement and research mark a significant step. They will strengthen how we regulate, listen, and work as an organisation.
As the independent regulator, we are responsible for making sure care is safe, effective and respects people's rights. That means we must understand where racism exists and use our powers to take the appropriate action to address it. It also means ensuring that we regulate in a way that recognises and does not worsen the racism that care providers, people who use services and our colleagues experience within healthcare settings.
The research
This research is the first phase of our work to become an anti-racism organisation. It looks at how colleagues, people who use services and service providers understand and experience racism and anti-racism at CQC, and how organisational systems, processes and culture support or limit progress. The work was informed by people with lived experience and representatives from provider, voluntary and community organisations.
We found that inequalities continue to affect people's experiences of health and social care, and that racism is one of the factors contributing to unequal experiences and outcomes from care.
We also found that several internal processes in CQC are not yet effectively supporting anti-racism, including in recruitment and progression. Anti-racism learning, while valued, is not yet embedded in our day-to-day work. For example, gaps in how we collect and use data make it difficult to identify inequalities or measure progress.
At the same time, the research shows there is a strong foundation to build on, with progress already taking place and a clear appetite for change.
Our position statement
The position statement sets out how this research will inform the ongoing development of our assessment approach, helping to ensure that equality, human rights and anti-racism are reflected more consistently in how we assess the quality and safety of care.
The statement commits us to identifying and acting on racism across all our functions, including as an employer, and to ensuring that action is embedded in our work, not treated as a separate activity.
Alongside our position statement and research, we are working with the NHS Race and Health Observatory and other regulators to advance workforce race equity in health and social care, using evidence, insight and regulatory intelligence to shape our approach.