Hi Sheila, why doesn’t the CQC employ qualified auditors when assessing care companies. The assessments that I have seen have been so abysmally poor and unprofessional and clearly carried out by someone who is not in any way able to safeguard the members of the public that use care services.

As one example, how can carers adequately offer a good service if they are unable to speak English? Why don’t the CQC check this?

Answered by Sheila Scott

Dear T,

Thank you for your question.

I think it might be better directed to the Chief Inspector for Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission,  Andrea Sutcliffe.

Having said that I do have an opinion on the question but it is I must stress my opinion.

The regular inspections of Registered Social Care provision can never just be about boxes that can be ticked.

None the less that is an important part of the inspection process in order to make sure that the service is compliant with legislation and has all the appropriate policies and procedures in place to make sure that both service users and staff have the full protection of the law.

Adult Social Care goes much further than the tick boxes and it is this other element which is more difficult to quantify and to ensure consistency of approach.

I do know from talking to providers that the majority of inspectors with a background of working in care are good inspectors and that most providers are satisfied with the service that they receive.

It is the element of making judgements about the quality of care that cannot just be a tick box task which is more difficult to teach inspectors to achieve.

This is where I think providers should come into the training of inspectors. I would welcome an initiative where a session with a provider of a service rated good or outstanding is included.

I think it is always helpful to understand on both sides the challenges that both providers and inspectors face.

I will be very interested to hear anyone’s views on my response.

All good wishes.

Sheila