Apprenticeship Programme Bridges Gap Between Care and Nursing Sanctuary Care’s Fast Track Route to Nursing Aims to Futureproof Care Sector
A Nursing Associates Programme launched by not-for-profit care provider, Sanctuary Care, seeks to bridge the gap between care and nursing roles. The two-year scheme enables apprentices to gain valuable on-the-job experience in the care sector, whilst studying for nationally recognised nursing qualifications to advance their careers. The scheme seeks to upskill care assistants to supplement nursing and clinical teams, whilst tackling recruitment challenges facing the health and social care sector. These issues have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, with a 62% increase in vacant care home nursing posts reported between 2020/21 and 2021/22[2]. The Nursing Associates Programme is fully funded by Sanctuary Care, which provides residential, dementia and nursing care in over 100 homes across England and Scotland. It enables students to gain alevel 5 foundation degree, and upon graduating, register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council to move into permanent roles as nursing associates within Sanctuary Care homes. The apprenticeship sees academic study complemented by clinical work experience with Sanctuary Care and partnership organisations across NHS sites, GP practices, learning disability schemes and children’s services, ensuring students develop the skills to deliver safe and effective care to residents. The programme has so far seen five apprentices successfully complete a Nursing Associate Foundation Degree at Plymouth University, the University of Greenwich and the University of Derby. Charlie Moore, 23 from Exeter was amongst the scheme’s first graduates, gaining a Nursing Associate Foundation Degree from Plymouth University in 2021. Charlie said: “I had initially secured a place at university where I planned to study Law, but I decided to take a gap year and joined Greenslades Nursing Home as a Care Assistant. It was never intended to be a permanent, but I loved working in care from day one, and when the opportunity to study to become a nursing associate arose, I didn’t look back.” Charlie completed her qualifications during the peak of the pandemic which saw a move to online learning, whilst working on the front-line delivering the highest quality of care to Sanctuary Care residents. Sarah Clarke Kuehn, Sanctuary Care Director, said: “Attracting new talent to the care sector can be a challenge, as many people are unaware of the varied benefits and career opportunities available within the industry, of which our Nursing Associate Programme is just one example. “This scheme enables apprentices to gain valuable on-the-job experience enriching residents’ lives in our care homes, whilst earning an income and gaining nationally recognised qualifications to complement their careers”. Along with the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship, Sanctuary Care offers an Assistant Practitioner Apprenticeship. This scheme also provides an alternative route to nursing qualifications, bridging the gap between care and nursing roles, with apprentices learning to carry out clinical duties such as monitoring vital signs and administering medication. CASE STUDIES Billy Pattison’s Journey from the Army to Nursing Associate Apprentice Moving from a role in the army to a career in care, Billy Pattison, 31, started his career at Sanctuary Care’s Fernihurst Nursing Home in Exmouth, which provides expert residential, dementia and nursing care for elderly residents in the local community. He joined in 2015 as a domestic and kitchen assistant but quickly realised care was his true calling. He started his Nursing Associate Apprenticeship when he was a Senior Care Assistant and wanted to develop in the direction of nursing. Now in the final stretch of the two-year programme, Billy said: “Working in care has made me realise the vital job that care and nursing home workers do, day in and day out, bringing that little bit of sunshine to those who need it most.” “The Nursing Associate Apprenticeship has been great in terms of my own aspirations, but also for the home, enabling the nurses to focus on their role with my support in picking up clinical tasks. I’ve felt my confidence grow and have shown competence in the workplace; I would say to anyone considering an apprenticeship to do it!” Abbie Troop Shines a Light on Becoming An Assistant Practitioner After joining The Laurels Residential and Nursing Home in Derby as a Care Assistant, 22-year-old Abbie Troop knew right away it was her calling. She completed her Assistant Practitioner Apprenticeship, which bridges the gap between care and nursing roles, at the University of Derby in December 2022. She said: “I love knowing that I am making a difference to our residents, making sure they are happy. You build such a good rapport with the residents; they are like your family.” Abbie has a very simple message for anyone considering becoming an apprentice with Sanctuary Care: “Go for it. It’s the best thing I ever did. I feel very proud to be here, I never thought I would be where I am now.” For more information on career opportunities at Sanctuary Care, visit: www.sanctuary-care.co.uk/jobs
HC-One celebrates annual National Apprenticeship Week 2023
Influential homecare CEO spells out the scale of crisis in the sector
Increased demand, a recruitment crisis, poor pay and repeated failures to meet the needs of the most vulnerable members of society are some of the major issues hampering the provision of homecare, according to a leading figure in the sector. Dr Jane Townson, CEO of the Homecare Association, fears people are being ‘neglected in the community’ because of problems impacting the sector. Around 1 million people are estimated to receive homecare in the UK, for a variety of reasons, such as post-hospital care, old age, physical disability, dementia or sensory impairment. In a stark and honest interview with Newcross Healthcare’s Voices of Care podcast, Dr Townson, the boss of the professional association representing and supporting providers of care in people’s own homes, laid bare some of the key challenges facing the sector. These include; Dr Townson said: “We’ve got a population aging with multiple long-term conditions, and obviously the preference of most people is to stay at home surrounded by people that they love in familiar surroundings and able to do what they want when they want. “But we’re seeing staffing issues translate into problems discharging people from hospital. Nuffield Trust reported that one in four people who are stuck in hospital are waiting for homecare and then, at the front end because people are being neglected in the community, they’re deteriorating, ending up in ambulances in A&E when, with some support at home, we could keep them safe and well in their own homes.” Recent research from the Homecare Association found that the average price being paid by public organisations for home care in England after 1 April 2022 remains significantly below the cost of recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce and delivering high-quality, sustainable home care services. Meanwhile, the podcast heard how the pay rate for someone in care was once higher than someone in retail or sales, but is now much less, making the sector unattractive to those looking to decide their careers. Dr Townson said poor pay, terms and conditions was impacting the quality of care people received, adding: “So many councils still purchase home care by the minute. So that puts such a lot of pressure on the care workers. They feel that they’re rushing from one place to the next and they’re in it because they want to make a difference to people’s lives, and they want to meet people’s needs. “But it’s really stressful when you can’t do that. And we’re seeing in some areas an increase in the number of 15-minute visits. You’ve barely parked and got in the door and, somebody got out of their chair and then you’ve got to go again. It’s just not enough time for the level of need that people have. So, the fundamental issue is the lack of investment.” She also criticised the lack of investment from the government in improving the technology and digital tools available to homecare workers, describing the improvements when staff were given just basic smartphones, which made it much easier for them to communicate with each other and access services like online rotas. When discussing solutions to the crisis, Dr Townson called for increased funding for the sector, a clearer pay structure and more flexibility when it comes to training new recruits, including the ability to train remotely. She also called for a greater focus on multi-disciplined teams working together in the community to help those in need of care. She said: “What we’d really like to see, are more multi-disciplinary teams on the ground, because in practice the care worker is talking to the district nurses, the social workers, the hospital staff. And then we can organise the training to support that team, that would start to make quite a big difference because then you start to get that mutual respect as well.” She said the government’s most recent white paper, ‘People At The Heart of Care’ had left her feeling ‘optimistic’ that the need for change was recognised and some of her recommendations would be put into place. She added: “There was a very strong element of a vision that was about keeping people well at home. I think everybody sees the sense of doing that. The rhetoric and the funding don’t quite match, but I think we’re marching inexorably to that point.” Also appearing on the podcast was Mark Story, Head of Learning Innovation at Newcross Healthcare, who said the company recognized issues around pay and was actively trying to do something to improve the situation. Its workforce receives pay 16.4% above the National Living Wage. He explained: “It’s part of our commitment to show that a career in social care or healthcare is a viable career option. “So, as an employer, we’re doing what we can, but there is more to do. But it’s not just about pay. I think there is a pay element to it, but there are also other benefits that we can offer as a result of being a large employer. “And when we come on and talk about career development and enhancing people’s ability to develop their careers, then I think that plays into that mix of what we can offer the healthcare and social care staff as well.” Hosted by healthcare expert Suhail Mirza, the podcast episode featuring Dr Jane Townson is available now alongside previous episodes in the series on various platforms including You Tube, Apple, Spotify and the Newcross Healthcare website
Brew Monday: Kent care home avoids January blues by putting the kettle on
A care home in Kent shook off the January blues by celebrating ‘Brew Monday’ with its residents, setting up a fun and tasty tea sampling to get people talking. Fairways Care Home, a branch of ACI Care that specialises in residential, respite and dementia care, decided to ignore the dreaded ‘Blue Monday’, supposedly the most depressing day of the year, by celebrating Brew Monday instead – a day dedicated to reaching out for a cuppa and a catch-up with the people you care about. While Blue Monday accounts for January’s worsening weather, lapsed New Year’s resolutions and the joy of Christmas fading, Brew Monday helps to combat these negative feelings by enjoying a hot beverage and socialising with loved ones. Residents were treated to four different teas: Peppermint and Liquorice, Mixed Berry, Blackberry and Blueberry Infusion and Ginger Green Tea, with the latter coming out the firm favourite. Brew Monday is just one of the many activities the staff at Fairways organise for their residents, to help bring variety to their days and encourage them to socialise together. The home has a busy schedule planned for the rest of January too, celebrating the upcoming National Popcorn Day, National Hug Day and Australia Day. Alison Yarnley, Registered Manager at Fairways Care Home, said: “We always like to have something for our residents to look forward to and our fun activity schedule promotes that. The staff have been proactive with each resident, which has contributed to their wellbeing and enhanced their daily lives. “Afternoon tea at Fairways was a fun treat for all, residents enjoyed socialising, interacting with each other and reminiscing about their memories of afternoon tea throughout their lives. Brew Monday was something simple and engaging that the residents looked forward to, just one of the many activities that create a joyful atmosphere and uplift the well-being of our residents and staff within the home.” The activities regularly put on within the home offer a host of benefits for residents including the opportunity to socialise and form friendships, help keep the mind active, and alleviate feelings of isolation and loneliness – all of which can occur in care home residents who may miss being in their own homes with partners and family. The Brew Monday campaign started in 2020 and was set up by mental health charity, Samaritans. It encourages groups of friends to stay in touch, share their troubles, and to dismiss the myth about Monday being ‘blue’ and instead start a conversation over a brew. For more information on Fairways and ACI Care, please visit https://aci.care/fairways/.
Using a nutritional career background to revolutionise nutrition and hydration in the social care sector
It’s an overused term that nutrition and hydration are critical to an individual’s health and development. As human beings, it’s the bedrock to ensure our survival, promote stronger immune systems, and reduce the onset of non-communicable diseases. However, despite the obvious factors highlighting its importance, there is still a long way to go to ensure that people can access the necessary nutrients and vitamins to live a healthy, happy and well-balanced life – particularly from a health and social care standpoint. Malnutrition is far too common in the UK, currently affecting more than three million people. Around 1 in 3 people admitted to acute care will demonstrate signs of malnourishment, while 35 per cent of individuals will be seriously affected. Both dehydration and malnutrition have significant consequences on a person’s health outcomes and are integral to all care pathways. Remarkably, these problems are still poorly recognised in healthcare settings despite numerous reports showcasing an inadequate level of focus in these particular areas. Indeed, much of this will be down to care providers not fully understanding the benefits that come from greater nutritional expertise within a care environment. The operation of food production in a care home, after all, is incredibly complex and very different to your common household kitchens. This was something I learnt very quickly following my appointment with Nellsar five-and-a-half years ago, and I am extremely keen to bring these challenges to light. From the get-go, my responsibilities were taking charge of the food assessment process of our residents, while underlining the key elements to improve their nutritional well-being. From there, everything spiralled and I was quickly pulling together comprehensive plans that were proving to be of incredible value to the business, as a whole. Unfortunately, despite these plans demonstrating an array of benefits to resident well-being, our Kitchen Teams didn’t quite have the capacity to carry them through, which forced the business to broaden its horizon from a nutritional expertise standpoint – prompting them to offer me a promotion! We have also employed a team of Nutrition Champions across our homes to help support the whole process of implementing change, education and support. My promotion was a huge opportunity for me given my nutritional background as it’s always been a passion of mine to be part of the movement that strives to improve nutrition – not only within social care but beyond. I think a striking moment for me was when I discovered how people in hospitals who are recovering from surgery and illnesses, for example, aren’t necessarily fed very well, in the context of appropriate vitamins and minerals, despite being crucial elements of our health and well-being, which never made sense to me. Similarly, in care homes, I’ve seen numerous examples of care providers focusing a lot of attention on medication administration, which, of course, is important – and expensive, too – while overlooking the value of tackling health problems directly through good nutrition and a well-balanced diet. So, when Nellsar approached me with the same enthusiasm for identifying these problems at the source, I inevitably jumped at the opportunity. Surprisingly, one of the first things I noticed on the job was how transitional the skills were following my studies as a qualified nutritional therapist many years ago. On top of this, once I saw the current recruitment shortage strangling the sector, I thought to myself why other nutritionists who were once in my position weren’t capitalising on the chance to broaden their nutritional understanding, particularly from a clinical and catering perspective; it could kickstart their careers. In truth, it’s quite a technical job and one involving familiarising yourself with comprehensive guidelines while simultaneously learning about dysphagia and texture-modified diets. However, it’s also a fast-paced role with endless learning opportunities alongside like-minded individuals who are determined to make a lasting and transformative impact on the sector. Furthermore, another valuable lesson I quickly learned was that our practices are clinically proven to work. At Nellsar, we build therapeutic menus specially tailored for residents with a wide range of dietary needs. On top of this, we’ve introduced bespoke training courses for all catering members of the businesses’ 13 care homes that ensure there’s a unilateral approach to how we make and distribute food. Also, it’s not just about raising nutritional standards, but also coaching the wider care teams to understand why we’re encouraging better nutrition and hydration. Similarly, we champion residents to ask questions and get involved with trials. This enables us to explore new ways to improve not only nourishment but the dining experience, as for years the sector’s stance on nutrition has been drastically outdated. In fact, a survey commissioned by eProcurement technology firm, Zupa, polled hundreds of care home professionals across the country, finding that two-thirds of care home staff admitted the quality of resident care and the ability to cater properly for dietary and nutritional needs were some of the key areas being side-lined as a result of outdated practices. Clearly, caring for the elderly day-to-day is already demanding and time-consuming enough for such an overstretched sector. The over-reliance on outdated processes, such as one-food diets, weight loss supplements, avoiding cultural foods, eliminating food groups and ‘clean eating’, adds to the growing fury amongst health professionals, and things simply have to change. Inevitably, the lack of staffing throughout the sector is still a major concern. However, it’s clear that in many cases, the adoption of new innovative methods to instigate positive change may just be right under care providers’ noses. So, to anyone reading this with a nutritional background and struggling to apply their skills and insight to something practical, I urge you to consider social care as a potential avenue. Likewise, for any care homes who perhaps don’t quite understand the endless benefits that come from championing positive nutrition, I invite you to come to one of our Nellsar homes and see the impact it’s having for yourselves.
Turing, Cambridge and US longevity experts named judges of ground-breaking dementia tech prize
Innovation prize specialists Challenge Works today announces details of the judging panel for the Longitude Prize on Dementia, naming nine judges including representatives from The Alan Turing Institute and University of Cambridge. The Longitude Prize on Dementia, which launched in September, is a £4+ million challenge prize to incentivise the creation of A.I. and machine-learning based technologies that provide personalised solutions to help people with dementia to live longer, higher quality lives at home – learning from a person’s data about what they do, who they know and what’s most important to them as an individual. Applications to the prize remain open until 26 January 2023. In the summer, once the judging panel has assessed the candidates, 23 teams will be selected to receive £80k Discovery Awards and expert capacity-building support to develop their solutions. Five will receive an additional £300k in 2024 to develop a validated prototype or product with one going on to win the £1 million first prize in 2026. Judging the entries and guiding the selection of the 23 teams making it through to the Discovery Award stage of the prize are: Eric Kihlstrom, Longitude Prize on Dementia Judge and Ambassador for Aging 2.0 says: “After the initial effects of the pandemic lockdowns, ageing has become a ‘white hot’ area for innovation, and Alzheimer’s falls into that category. This prize is focused on improving the quality of life for people living with dementia and their carers. If we can do that, we can keep people living with dementia out of institutional care, and we can help people live the lives they want to. “If you’re an innovator with an inspirational idea, you sometimes don’t know where to go and don’t know what’s already been done. If we, as judges, can make that journey faster and help innovators to focus on the critical questions – it can make a big difference.” Dawne Garrett, former Lead for Older People & Dementia Care, Royal College of Nursing says: “The outcome of this prize has potential to make a tangible and lasting change to how people living with early-stage dementia approach this disease. There is no doubt that the kind of technology we hope to see will uproot lazy assumptions about what people living with dementia can and can’t do, and ensure that people can live in a dignified and fulfilling way.” Ruth Neale, Global Health Programme Manager at Challenge Works says: “Applications remain open until 26 January 2023 for the Longitude Prize on Dementia – this is a prime opportunity to put forward ideas that can make a real difference in helping those who live with early-stage dementia.” People with lived experience of dementia (people living with dementia, carers and former carers) will be involved at every judging stage of the Longitude Prize on Dementia. The Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) will be made up of international representatives and will review designs, ideas and give insights into how technologies could support and enable independent living for a person with a diagnosis of dementia. For more information on the Longitude Prize on Dementia visit dementia.longitudeprize.org
What You Need To Know When Buying Furniture For A Care Home Or Nursing Home
Are you looking for new furniture for your nursing home or care home? Selecting the right furniture for these contexts involves more factors than many people realise. So, if you want to buy the perfect furniture for your care home, then read this comprehensive guide from the Rosehill team first… What Type Of Furniture Can You Use In A Care Home Or Nursing Home? First off, let’s begin by answering a common question. What type of furniture can you use in a nursing home or care home? The answer is contract furniture. Contract furniture is furniture which is designed and manufactured for use in high-traffic, well-used public environments. As such, contract furniture uses designs and materials that are far more robust than the types of designs and materials that you’ll find used on domestic furniture for the average private home. Contract furniture also has to meet a series of fire, safety and dimensional standards that are far above the standards that domestic furniture must meet. So, if you’re going to be buying furniture for a care home or nursing home, you must first establish that you are buying contract-quality furniture. Here at Rosehill, we sell only contract furniture. Traditional Versus Modern Nursing Home And Care Home Furniture When many people think of nursing homes and care homes, they think of rather plain institutions that resemble healthcare establishments, or are an extension of a hospital. That may have been true in the past, but today’s best nursing homes and care homes have gone to great efforts to create a decor and atmosphere that resembles a private residence, and a comfortable living space. In addition, many modern care homes and nursing homes have moved away from older-style canteens and cafeterias, to create sumptuous modern, restaurant-style dining areas instead. See our full bog here!! https://www.rosehill.co.uk/blog/what-you-need-to-know-when-buying-furniture-for-a-care-home-or-nursing-home/
A Royal Remembrance: Her Majesty’s pallbearer returns to hometown to speak with wartime veterans at a Surrey care home
A Surrey care home welcomed one of Her Majesty’s pallbearers to hear and reflect on the wartime memories of its veteran residents and share his experiences from one of the most historical events in modern history. Lance Corporal Tony Flynn, of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, visited Princess Christian Care Centre, part of the Nellsar group, to hear and reflect on the mix of poignant and uplifting memories of the home’s veteran residents who had lived through the Second World War. Tony, 23, returned to his hometown following a recent tour of Iraq and was welcomed to the 96-bed care home, originally built in 1914 as a home for wounded soldiers, having recently served as a pallbearer during the state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Watched by billions across the globe, Tony was credited for his ‘impeccable’ role alongside seven members of his regiment who carried the coffin of Her Majesty before laying to rest the longest-serving monarch in British history on Monday, 19th September. Commenting on the experience, Tony said: “It’s been an unforgettable few weeks, to say the least. Serving as one of Her Majesty’s pallbearers was the greatest honour of my life and was made even more special by the fact that it was an experience shared by only seven other people across the globe. To be honest, it still hasn’t sunk in and I don’t think it ever will. Rewatching the day unfold at Westminster Abbey and listening to everything that was happening outside the room was probably the first moment where I truly understood the magnitude of the day.” A former pupil at Holmesdale School, Snodland, Kent, Tony joined the infantry regiment more than three years ago and recently married his long-term partner, Hayley, Resident Liaison at Nellsar, who accompanied him during the service. Tony spent the morning speaking with a host of wartime veterans at the home before being joined by Woking Town Mayor, Saj Hussain and local MP, Jonathan Lord, for an afternoon of remembrance and reflection. Speaking of his day, Tony said: “It was so nice to return to my hometown for a day that centred around appreciating everything that’s been made possible due to the sacrifices of those before us. It was a very informative and humbling experience to spend the day with Princess Christian’s residents and families. I really enjoyed exchanging life stories with some remarkable individuals as I don’t often get the chance to hear stories from the past. To accompany the local veterans for a day of remembrance and hear first-hand about their wartime experiences serving our country, was something I’ll never forget.” Mario Taherian, Registered General Manager at Nellsar’s Princess Christian Care Centre, said: “As with every year, it was a very special day for everyone connected with Princess Christian Care Centre and the wider Woking community. Our staff and residents were delighted to be joined by Tony, who knows first-hand what it means to serve in the line of duty. Tony is a remarkable individual and our residents loved chatting with him and exchanging stories – even our resident cat made herself comfortable on his lap! “It was something that our staff and residents have long been looking forward to and were well prepared to make wartime displays and wreaths using poppies, while sharing and celebrating the medals of residents who were active in the war. An afternoon of poignant reflection was followed by tea and cakes before we enjoyed our resident singer, Vick, performing some great songs, including a moving performance of ‘The Last Post’ on the trumpet. All in all, the day was an overwhelming success. I’d like to thank Tony, Saj and Jonathan for playing such an influential role in bringing a smile to our residents’ faces.” For more information on Princess Christian Care Centre, please visit https://princess-christian.nellsar.com/. Or for more information on Nellsar, visit https://www.nellsar.com/.
CQC framework uncertainties shouldn’t mask benefits of processing streamlining
The process for establishing the new regulatory framework by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will move a significant step forward this month. At this time the pilot schemes come to an end and the regulator will evaluate the impact of its proposed changes. Charlotte Rowe, Care Practice Manager at Markel Care Practitioners, discusses the stages and wider implications. With the expectation that the CQC will deliver its more substantive framework by the end of the first half of 2023, there is still a great deal of uncertainty but the aims behind the changes and the structure of the future framework are now evident. While some areas will challenge providers, a number of positives will be delivered under the new framework, with renewed flexibility within the inspection process one of the most significant. A changing CQC inspection process The first question providers were asking when the plans were announced was how the CQC inspection process would be affected. Previously, the CQC assessed care services solely via onsite inspection, gathering all the evidence through visits alone. Under the new model, the commission is moving to a broader, continuous approach by collecting evidence on an ongoing basis. Routine inspections will remain key, but other methods will now assume real importance to the final outcome including submissions from providers and conversations with managers. Inspectors will look to incorporate people’s experiences and obtain more detailed feedback from staff and leaders. They will include observations of care, and the outcomes of care set against evidence of process. In addition, they will seek feedback from partners. The CQC will now be able to update a service’s rating at any time without onsite inspection in order to better respond to risk. The frequency of care inspections was previously based on a provider’s most recent rating (with some ongoing monitoring), a system which troubled providers with many feeling it was difficult to improve their rating. That looks to be addressed in the new framework. The new continuous approach increases flexibility and frequency, enabling commissioners and stakeholders to be presented with a more accurate assessment quality of care provided. Reports will also be shorter and score-based, making outcomes easier to digest. The ability to grade in a more reflective manner is also of real importance. It will benefit families of service users to have more updated information on the standards, quality and concerns relevant to the provider. For families this is a real positive, and will likely act to support relationships with stakeholders. Single assessment framework One of the most important changes is the CQC’s move to a single assessment framework – a strategy that was first introduced in 2021 with the aim of putting the emphasis on care integration, people’s experiences, cultures of safety and learning. Previously, there were different frameworks for the type of service being administered – e.g. hospital care vs adult social care – and for registration and inspection. The main change with the single framework is to move away from the CQC’s Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) to quality statements which providers will now be measured against. This is intended to remove duplication and complexity by setting out one set of overall expectations that apply universally. Building in greater clarity The CQC has recognised the need for clarity on the changes, how they will be implemented and any variations in the requirements from providers. To help understand the new single assessment framework, the CQC has illustrated it using a pyramid, which reduces 300 lines of enquiry down to 34 quality statements. Moving down in chronological order, the top of the pyramid focuses on the ‘five key questions’, which ask whether a care service is safe; effective; caring; responsible; and well-led. These remain the same as before. The next step down is quality statements, are also known as ‘we statements’. These are examples of behaviours and actions that reflect the five key questions at the top of the pyramid and are designed to keep the focus on ‘high-quality, person-centred care.’ The bottom two levels of the pyramid refer to the evidence-gathering stage, with the latter stage more bespoke and specific. The aim of the single framework is to better streamline the process. The CQC hopes this streamlining will also improve waiting times for results – something that has caused concern in the past. Waiting times have also caused issues for providers hoping to improve their gradings – impacting their status with commissioners and stakeholders. The importance of data There will now be far more reliance on data. For providers that are not data ready this could be a real challenge, especially where paper based systems remain in play. This is particularly important for areas such as nursing staff, where changes in recording and systems are a key part of their daily undertaking. The CQC aims to use data more effectively via a range of audit tools in order to simplify the process, tailoring its assessment to different services and to have one framework. The sector should welcome the use of technology and data to streamline what has always been a complex and often subjective process. The ability for changes made by the providers to address any issues identified in an inspection and have the capability for those changes to be recognised in their rating is a significant plus. Rolling out the changes The CQC has been open in its process for the implementation of the new framework. Since the change in approach was first announced in March, the timetable towards its wider rollout has been explicit. From August, the CQC began rolling out various elements of the new framework to a select group of early adopters. The first group to be invited comprised home carers who had not yet engaged with the CQC’s registration process. In September, we saw the number of early adopters expanded to include some GP practices, independent providers, and care homes. October saw the CQC began carrying out its first assessments using its new approach, again with a small group of
