CQC Fundamental Standards
You need to familiarise yourself with the CQC fundamental Standards. These are the minimum standards promoting rights expected from regulated care providers. Your care service should never fail against these CQC Regulations, principles, guidelines and standards.
You need to ensure each part of your service is strategic towards meeting these minimum essential standards of care and regulations. You should not just aim for the minimum but to exceed by using the standards as a source of evaluating your service.
An understanding and embedding of these fundamental standards as part of your quality assurance will enable you to provide evidence based practice that meet the needs of people using your service. The fundamental standards will also encourage personalisation and person centered practice.
The CQC will triangulate evidence of meeting these fundamental standards by finding out the views and experiences from various sources that include,people using your services, families, professionals and care workers.
An explainer of the CQC Fundamental Standards is located below:
Person-centered care
There must be care or treatment that is tailored to the people using your service, meeting their needs and preferences.
Dignity and respect
All people using your service must be treated with dignity and respect at all times while receiving care and treatment. For example, promoting privacy, equal opportunities and facilitating involvement in the community, and promoting independence.
Consent
People using your services (or anybody legally acting on your behalf) must give consent before any care or treatment is provided.
Safety
There must not be any unsafe care or treatment provided. People using your service should not be put at risk of harm that could be avoided. There must be an assessment of health and safety risks during care or treatment. Training must be provided to ensure staff have an awareness and skills to carry out their work safely.
Safeguarding from abuse
People under your care should not suffer from any form of abuse or improper treatment while receiving care. This includes neglect, degrading treatment, unnecessary or disproportionate restraint, and inappropriate limits on your freedom.
Food and drink
The nutritional needs of people using your service must be addressed. There must be enough food to eat and drink to maintain and improve the health of people using your service.
Premise and equipment
The environment where care, support, and treatment is being provided must be clean, suitable, and looked after properly. This includes ensuring any equipment is safe and used properly.
Complaints
There must be policies and procedures facilitating people who use your service to complain about their care and treatment. The systems in please should effectively handle, investigate, respond and take action to the outcome of the investigation.
Good governance
You are expected to lead, and manage the service safely to meet all the fundamental standards. This includes quality assurance systems on all aspects of your service, promoting welfare, striving to improve, and reducing risks.
Staffing
The ratio of staff and people using your service should be adequate. All staff should be qualified or working towards. They must have appropriate experience and should have had an induction. They must be competent and have the skills to carry out their role and responsibilities. You should promote a good culture supporting staff, providing quality care including continuous professional development. The provider of your care must have enough suitably qualified, competent, and experienced staff to make sure they can meet these standards.
Fit and proper staff
Your recruitment and HR procedures should be robust and fit for purpose. You should be carrying out DBS, work history, and reference checks. You have to check the right to work including reviewing to ensure your staff are appropriate and have the skills, and competency to carry out their role.
Duty of candour
You have to be transparent and open about the care and treatment provided. People who use your service should be informed, and provided with support should something go wrong. You should also apologise.
Display of ratings
It is a requirement to display your organisational up-to-date CQC rating. It should be visible in public spaces such as waiting rooms and windows. You must also ensure this information is published on your website including a link to your latest report.
