‘Scrap single-word CQC ratings’, say trust bosses

Most trust leaders want the Care Quality Commission’s single-word ratings scrapped, NHS Providers has said based on survey feedback.

NHS Providers said written feedback from its annual regulation and oversight survey showed leaders thought the ratings – of “outstanding”, “good”, “requires improvement”, and “inadequate” – were “too simplistic”. They are currently used to rate providers overall quality, sites, services, and performance on particular domains such as safety.

Staff often found the ratings “demoralising” while patients thought they were “confusing”, according to the findings, shared with HSJ ahead of publication.

NHSP, which represents trusts and foundation trusts, also told HSJ it backed scrapping the single-word rating approach.

The findings come with an overhaul of the CQC’s regulation approach highly likely to be instigated later this year. Wes Streeting, the new health and social care secretary last month published a damning interim report by integrated care board chair Penny Dash, which found major flaws across its processes, methodology, staffing, and systems.

Read full story (paywalled)

Source: HSJ, 8 August 2024