CQC guidelines introduced to ensure care services display inspection ratings to the public

Care services throughout England will soon have to ensure that families and visitors can see how the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated them on their most recent inspection.

New guidelines will require providers to display their CQC ratings from 1 April 2015, whether they have been ruled as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate.

David Behan, chief executive of the Care Quality Commission, said: “We know that our ratings are an important source of information to support people’s choice of service and the aim of this new requirement is all about helping to achieve better awareness and greater transparency for members of the public about which care services are Outstanding, Good, Require Improvement or Inadequate

“I am determined for CQC to be on the side of people, and their families, who are receiving health and adult social care services so they can get access to safe, high quality and compassionate services that they have absolutely every right to expect.”

The announcement follows the responses of more than 700 people, during a public consultation held in February on existing guidelines for compliance and standards of care and safety.

Care providers will be able to download, and display posters from the regulator’s website to promote the results of the CQC inspection results for all visitors to see.

It is anticipated that care group and provider websites will start to promote their inspection ratings alongside displaying them in waiting areas and communal spaces within the home.

Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, said: “By making inspection ratings more visible, we are helping people make more informed choices about their care, celebrating success and driving up standards.

"We want to have the safest health and social care system in the world and we know in the wake of Mid Staffs that transparency is vital in helping to improve standards of care. We have made significant changes to become safer and more transparent - this is another important milestone.”

Penalties for failing to display inspection results will result in punitive action being taken, including a fixed penalty notice being issued for care and service providers found to be in breach of the new regulations.

Speaking about the announcement, chief executive at Carers UK, Heléna Herklots, said: “Ensuring that loved ones are being treated with dignity and respect is of paramount importance for families and they need to be able to access clear, independent and easy to find information.

"The new requirements on providers to display their CQC rating will help inform those in need of care, and their families, about the quality of care being provided.”

Guidance for care providers on how to display ratings can be viewed at: http://www.cqc.org.uk/content/display-ratings