Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 18 April 2024 at 23:27
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) last completed a core inspection of the Trust in 2019 and preparations are now underway for the next inspection, although we do not currently have a date when it will take place.
A core inspection is different to the more recent focused inspection that was undertaken in June 2020, which concentrated on concerns raised around the Well-Led domain - one of five domains the CQC consider on a core inspection. For many of you, you may have not experienced a core inspection before and this looks at several aspects that surround safety, effectiveness, responsiveness and care that the Trust deliver. Along with well-led, these make up Key Lines of Enquiry or KLOEs.
When the CQC inspect, they are acting on behalf of all our service users and ultimately want to confirm that as an ambulance service we are delivering safe, high quality and compassionate care always while supporting our workforce to undertake their roles.
In 2019, they found that although we offered excellent patient care, other areas of the service continued to need improvement – the Trust is currently rated as Requires Improvement.
A number of ‘must dos’ and ‘should dos’ were established in the report and over the last two years, the Trust have been working hard on closing the gaps. When the CQC return, they will be looking for signs of improvement in those areas whilst we maintain safe, high quality and compassionate care.
To begin to prepare ourselves for a core inspection, which often involves a number of activities such as pre-inspection information requests, with notice announced and unannounced visits, engaging with stakeholders and staff through focus groups, a good way to determine our position is to undertake a mock inspection.
Mock inspections
Working in collaboration with our Commissioners (CCGs), a number of mock inspection visits are aiming to begin over the next few weeks whereby a small team from the CCG will visit one location across our six Strategic Transformation Partnership / Integrated Care Systems (STP/ICS) areas to look at the KLOEs and how we are managing.
Due to COVID19 safe working, all visits will be strictly controlled and safe working practices will be maintained, but this is an opportunity for you, our staff and managers, to showcase the work we are undertaking to deliver our high-quality service and I encourage you to speak with the CCG and support them with their inspection and questions that they may pose. Currently, two mock inspections have been confirmed as:
Whilst we do not know when the Trust core inspection will be, beginning our preparation and introducing you to a number of articles over the coming weeks will aim to help you understand your role to play in our next CQC core inspection, as we want you to feel proud of the care you deliver on a daily basis and be able to demonstrate this.
We will be producing a guide for all staff and volunteers to help you prepare for an inspection of our Trust’s sites and services but in the meantime, any questions or suggestions you may wish to offer can be directed to the Clinical team through the generic email cqcgroup@eastamb.nhs.uk
Please lookout for more updates in Need to Know and East24. Below is a short YouTube clip from the CQC that explains how they inspect service that may be of interest.