We've made changes to the way we work so we can continue to make sure care is safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality.
In this especially difficult period we know there are more risks to people. There are risks to people who are ill with coronavirus, as well as risks to those whose care is affected in other ways. This means it's more important than ever we keep doing our job.
How we keep track of care quality
We've paused our routine inspections. This is to avoid putting pressure on services that are caring for people.
At the same time, we're making more and better use of information to understand where there are risks to people. We're also working with our partners and with services themselves.
This means:
- using information so we know which services need support. This includes feedback on care from the public and from whistleblowers. We also get information from services themselves.
- talking to services. We'll have open and honest conversations with services, their staff and our partners. This means we can help them to resolve issues and reduce risks.
- taking action when we need to. We'll still act to keep people safe and protect their human rights. This could mean carrying out an inspection or using our other powers.
- being clear about what we do and what we find. This helps services and other organisations in the sector to learn – both for now and the future.
We call this our 'emergency support framework'. You can read about it in more detail in our guidance for providers.