Mythbusters for providers of NHS general practice
Myth:
To be registered with CQC you must meet strict building standards. Practices that don’t meet those requirements, such as those that provide care in old buildings or don’t have disabled access will not be able to register. Environmental risks such as carpeted premises and toys in waiting rooms will also affect a practice’s ability to register and CQC also requires care providers to adhere to an appropriate dress code.
Fact:
CQC registration gives assurance that the care you provide is safe, and we do thisby checking you meet the standards people should expect. Through registration we focus on the experience of the patient, not a set of criteria or policies and processes that you are adhering to.
One of the essential standards of care that patients should expect from a primary medical serviceit is provided in safe, accessible surroundings that promote their wellbeing.
This care could be provided in an older building, or even a building that doesn’t have, for example, disabled access. In these circumstances we would want to be assured that you have identified the risks associated with this, and have taken reasonable steps to manage them (or have a plan in place on how you will manage the risks), so that your patients still receive care in an environment that is safe and accessible. For example a practice without disabled access may inform all new patients when they register and may offer to make home visits to those patients unable to enter their buildings.
We understand that the patients you care for and the premises you work in aren’t ‘one size fits all’, and therefore how you ensure your patients experience quality care isn’t ‘one size fits all’ either. The important thing is you identify risk and manage it appropriately.
Rumours that providers not adhering to strict dress codes andcare provided in carpeted premises (or those who have toys and books in their waiting rooms) will be considered non-compliant are just that – rumours. None of these are likely to cause us concern, or lead to non-compliance with the essential standards of quality and care registration with CQC requires.
Myth:
The new requirements of CQC registration will mean that Primary Medical Services will need to drastically alter the way they currently deliver care to their patients.
Fact:
The essential standards cover the basic areas of care that most providers should be delivering every day – care that respects and involves their patients, is personalised, safe, and is provided by well trained staff.
Myth:
Primary Medical Services will need to employ extra staff/and or compliance systems and software, in order to complete the registration process and pull together the evidence required to demonstrate compliance with the essential standards.
Fact:
Most providers will more than likely have to hand the information we may require from them to demonstrate compliance with the essential standards.
For example, if you carry out a survey of your patients each year, this is a clear demonstration that you respect and involve the people who use your services. We may ask you to tell us more about the survey, and how you use the results of the survey to improve the care experience of your patients.
Some practices may wish to purchase compliance systems and software for their own auditing purposes, but this shouldn’t be necessary for the requirements of registration and compliance. After all, pretty well all responsible practices will already be wanting processes to be in place to ensure care is safe, patients are well looked after, and so on. If you have these – CQC is unlikely to need more.
Myth:
Providers that don’t comply with the essential standards will have their registration refused, will be unable to operate and their services will be shut down.
Fact:
Because this is a new system of regulation for Primary Medical Services, the transitional regulations for registration allow you to declare ‘non-compliance’ with any of the essential standards that you don’t yet meet. We will however still need to understand how you plan to become compliant and by when.
In only the most serious of circumstances, we do have the power to refuse registration, and following registration, close down a service. However we would need to take into account the effect of not having these services available for the people who use them.