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Temporary halt to CQC inspections urged by NHS Confederation
We wrote to the Care Quality Commission yesterday (11 March) to advise that they suspend their planned inspections so that providers can focus their energies on containing the further spread of coronavirus and make sure they are prepared to care for the much larger number of patients who will require their support in the next period.
Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “Our members recognise the value of regulation but given the current and future impact of COVID-19 infections on frontline services, a temporary suspension of planned inspections would be the right move. Front line staff and managers do not need any distraction as they confront one of the greatest challenges the NHS has faced in its history.”
CQC wrote to providers in England last week to advise that it would take a pragmatic approach in light of coronavirus developments but the NHS Confederation does not feel that this goes far enough and it overlooks the significant preparation that providers have to go through in advance of their planned inspections.
In January 2018, CQC took the decision to temporarily suspend its planned inspections of in light of winter pressures, which was welcomed.
