Best ways to empower Local Authorities with technology for better CQC ratings
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ADASS Sponsored Content December 2023
Content written by The Access Group
As we are all aware assessing how all local authorities meet their duties under part 1 of the Care Act 2014 is a new responsibility for the CQC. Over the past few months, the CQC have completed its pilot assessments and have released its evaluation of the process.
At The Access Group, we are aware of how essential the evaluation of this pilot is to not only help local authorities and all ADASS Partners better prepare but also enable the CQC to make the assessments as seamless as possible, as well as enable us to have a stronger understanding of how technology can help local authorities improve care delivery, which in turn improves ratings.
What have we learned from the Local Authority CQC Assessment Pilots?
During this pilots, the CQC assessed evidence across all of the quality statements across 5 different councils- Birmingham Council, Lincolnshire County Council, North Lincolnshire Council, Nottingham City Council, and Suffolk County Council.
In the CQC’s evaluation, they acknowledge similar themes across the councils including what is working well and what needs improvement. One of the biggest themes that differed the most was how local authorities worked with young people who were transitioning from children’s services to adult ones. Equally, it highlighted that integrated ways of working upon hospital discharge had improved the process and reduced discharge delays.
Issues surrounding staff retention were also addressed stating that staff tended to stay within a local authority when they felt their work was valued, they were continuously learning and developing in their careers, and when they were working in a positive culture.
What is going to change in the Local Authority CQC Assessments?
From the CQC’s pilot evaluation it has been highlighted that when the official rollout starts to take place throughout December this year, some aspects of the assessment will change to ease the approach and make it as simple as possible for local authorities. Here local authorities can concentrate on what’s more important, the needs of the individual.
Therefore, the CQC has highlighted three main areas of the approach they will change to improve it further:
- Simplify the Information Return process
- Review Case Tracking Processes to make it more efficient when looking at access to care throughout a local authority
- Continue to develop how the CQC engages with the public through community and voluntary groups
The CQC also highlighted that local authorities will be notified of their assessment including a request to complete both the Information Return and a date for on-site interviews. This notice period will typically be between 9-11 weeks. For more information on the latest updates about the CQC’s assessments of local authorities or to read the individual council reports from the pilot themselves learn more on the CQC website today.
How can technology better equip local authorities for the upcoming CQC assessments?
As you are most likely aware, the CQC will be investigating local authorities’ across many different quality statements over 4 different categories including working with people, providing support, ensuring safety, and leadership.
Local authority technology software can better manage care delivery across the community to ensure they consistently deliver high-quality care across every quality statement. From the findings of the pilot, it is clear that we are all heading in the right direction to overcome the challenges we have been facing across health and social care .
Depending on what local authorities want to improve, technology can offer many different tools to not just improve and streamline their case management, but also help improve internal delivery, and management of external care providers, as well as provide better oversight of the care market to be best prepared both now and in the future. This, in turn, can help deliver better sustainable and person-centred care that is outcomes-focused instead of task-focused.
Through using technology local authorities can be more proactive to better evaluate risk, quality, equality, and service leadership to help increase independence, delay future care needs, as well as make transitions from one service to another smoother.
When investing in new digital technology your local authority must know and understand the needs of their community. Knowing this allows your local authority to improve the quality of care you deliver, streamline your processes, and in turn, improve your CQC rating.