As you begin your care planning journey and explore care services, you might encounter the terms “CQC” or “CQC regulated.” If this leaves you wondering, what exactly is the CQC? You’ve come to the right place.
CQC stands for the “Care Quality Commission”. The CQC was first established in 2009 to replace three existing regulatory bodies. Care providers across England must register with the CQC and undergo regular inspections and monitoring to assess whether they provide an appropriate standard of care to their clients.
In this guide, we will explore what does CQC mean, what is the role of the CQC, and what it means for a care service provider to be CQC regulated. By gaining a better understanding of how the care industry is managed you and your loved one can make a more informed decision about their care.
What does the CQC do?
The CQC regulates all of England’s social care services, ensuring that they are up to standard. This regulatory body ensures that hospitals, ambulances, dentists, care providers, and others operate safely.
The role of the CQC is to register, monitor, and inspect all health and care service providers across England. Agencies registered with the CQC will undergo regular inspections to ensure they abide by the CQC’s standards. The CQC’s central core values are:
- Excellence – being a high-performing organisation
- Caring – treating everyone with dignity and respect
- Integrity – doing the right thing
- Teamwork – learning from each other to be the best they can
In essence, the CQC ensures the safety of people using health and social care services. Learn more about the differences between fully regulated care and an introductory care service.
What is a CQC regulated care service?
A CQC regulated care service is often regarded as a provider that can be trusted, with a CQC rating holding a great deal of power in the industry. Seeking out a CQC regulated service is one way to make sure that your loved one is getting the best possible care.
In order to be considered as CQC regulated, a service provider must register with the CQC, submitting evidence that they fulfil the necessary criteria. After registration is complete, agencies must undergo inspection.
Once inspected, they will be given a rating according to the quality of the service they provide. With “Outstanding” being the highest rating the CQC awards, followed by good, requires improvement, and inadequate.
At Trinity Homecare, we are proud to be not only CQC regulated, but to have an “Outstanding” rating for our fully managed care services. For more information, take a look at the types of care we provide.
The benefits of CQC regulated care
Opting for a CQC regulated care provider has many benefits for both the individual requiring care and their family. Here are a few examples of advantages:
- Ensures that individuals receive a high standard of care
- Regulates safety of care protocol
- Family can rest assured that their loved one’s care is in expert hands
- Continued monitoring and inspection of services offered
- Offers opportunities for feedback
- Encourages staff training and development
- Transparency over ratings and performance
- Fully managed care services
- Staff are directly employed and managed by the service provider
The CQC also has the power to take the necessary steps if a care service provider falls short of its standards. If any shortcomings are flagged up, the CQC can take control of the situation by imposing warnings, fines, prosecuting, or amending a care provider’s registration. As such, the CQC plays an important role in safeguarding the rights of individuals receiving care and ensuring that their best interests are at heart.
Where to find CQC regulated care services
All CQC regulated care service providers can be viewed on the CQC’s website. When looking for the most suitable care agency to care for your loved one, you can check ratings and read inspection reports on the CQC’s useful find and compare services page. Here, you can take a look at all the registered providers and services the CQC regulate, including:
- Hospitals
- Live-in care agencies
- Care homes
- Clinics
- Dentists
- Community services
- Mental health services
By choosing a CQC regulated care provider with a rating of “Outstanding” such as Trinity Homecare, you can rest assured that your loved one will receive the best possible care.
Arranging Care With Trinity Homecare
At Trinity Homecare, we understand there is much to consider when deciding upon the right care service provider. That’s why we are CQC regulated, offering total transparency, expertly trained and managed carers, and providing the best quality of care and support for your loved one.
With an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating, we are amongst the top 4% of all nationwide care companies providing fully managed care in England. With this in mind, you can rest assured that your loved one will receive the highest standard of care and specialist support.
If you have any questions about arranging care, simply get in touch with our helpful and knowledgeable care team.
Arranging nationwide live-in care with Trinity is straightforward. Simply follow these five steps:
- Call our care team
- Undergo a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your care needs and arrange a care assessment
- After the assessment, a plan of care is created
- A well suited carer is found and placed
- Care can be adapted at any time
