The CQC wants to define what good quality care looks like in order to be able to effectively inspect and rate practices.

They will assess services against five key questions...

THE FIVE KEY QUESTIONS

• Are they safe?
• Are they effective?
• Are they caring?
• Are they responsive to people’s needs?
• Are they well-led?

The CQC’s new inspection regime introduces the acronym KLOE, which stands for key lines of enquiry. The inspectors will use a standard set of KLOEs that directly relate to the five key questions. They will then reach a conclusion as to how your service should be rated, based on how well your practice meets the fundamental standards.

As well as focusing on the five questions, they will always look at how services are provided to people in specific population groups. For every NHS GP practice they will look at the quality of care for the following six key population groups:

• Older people
• People with long-term conditions
• Mothers, babies, children and young people
• The working-age population and those recently retired
• People in vulnerable circumstances
• People experiencing a mental health problem.

INTELLIGENT MONITORING

The CQC will collect data and evidence about your practice, along with information from various people – this will be used as background information for inspectors.

How Medical Protection can help »