Care Quality Commission Local Authority assessments

The CQC has published a new assurance framework which will lead to all local authorities with adult social care responsibilities undergoing an onsite assessment over the next two years.

CQC wants to provide independent assurance to the public on the quality of care in their area. They will want to understand how the care provided in Cheshire East is improving outcomes for people and reducing inequalities in their access to care, their experiences and outcomes from care. Although the assurance is focused on local authority adult social care, we know the outcomes we achieve for people are dependent on how well we work together as a partnership – so the assessors will also evaluate how well agencies work together to support people as one joined up system.

The assessment will focus on how we fulfil our duties under The Care Act (2014). This will focus on four themes, with nine quality statements sitting under the four themes (shown in the table below):

How Cheshire East works with people.
How Cheshire East provides support.
How Cheshire East ensures safety within the system.
Leadership within Cheshire East Council.

CQC
1. Working with people	2. Providing Support
Assessing needs. We maximise the effectiveness of people’s care and treatment by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them1	Care provision, integration and continuity. We understand the diverse health and care needs of people and our local communities, so care is joined-up, flexible and supports choice and continuity.
Supporting people to lead healthier lives. We support people to manage their health and wellbeing so they can maximise their independence, choice and control, live healthier lives and where possible, reduce future needs for care and support.	Partnerships and communities. We understand our duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so our services work seamlessly for people. We share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement.
Equity in experience and outcomes. We actively seek out and listen to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes. We tailor the care, support and treatment in response.
3. Ensuring safety	4. Leadership
Safe systems, pathways and transitions. We work with people and our partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety is managed, monitored and assured. We ensure continuity of care, including when people move between different services. Safeguarding. We work with people to understand what being safe means to them and work with our partners to develop the best way to achieve this. We concentrate on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. We make sure we share concerns quickly and appropriately.	Governance, management and sustainability. We have clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. We act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and we share this securely with others when appropriate. Learning, improvement and innovation. We focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across our organisation and the local system. We encourage creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcomes and quality of life for people. We actively contribute to safe, effective practice and research.

What will a CQC assessment cover?

People’s experience – this includes people who use services, and their families, carers, and advocates. CQC will evaluate this through meetings with people, survey results, feedback from representative groups and case tracking. CQC have said they are committed to ensuring that they consider the experiences of people most likely to have poor access, experiences, or outcomes from care.
Feedback from staff and leaders – this will be assessed through meetings, compliments and concerns, surveys, and our documents such as our self-assessment.
Feedback from partners – this could include feedback from commissioners, providers, professional regulators, accreditation bodies, royal colleges, and multi-agency bodies. This will include partners involved in the wider determinants of health and wellbeing such as housing, licensing, or environment services.
Processes – this covers the series of steps, or activities that are carried out to deliver care and support that is safe and meets people’s needs. CQC will focus on the effectiveness of the processes, rather than just checking they are in place. CQC will look at our performance such as waiting times, audits, policies, and strategies.
Outcomes – CQC will evaluate the impact on individuals and communities. Evidence could include information on the quality of a provider, clinically relevant measures, quality of life assessments and population data.

We don’t know when we can expect to receive an assessment in Cheshire East, but we will keep you updated when we have more information.

More information about the assessment framework can be found on the CQC website.

Page last reviewed: 26 March 2024

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