CQC: Introduction of combined trust-level quality and use of resources ratings

Introduction of combined trust-level quality and use of resources ratings


Following feedback from members of the public, healthcare providers and other stakeholders The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has updated its guidance.


Read more at http://www.cqc.org.uk/news/stories/introduction-combined-trust-level-quality-use-resources-ratings

5 years on: responses to Francis: changes in board leadership and governance in acute hospitals in England since 2013

This report, written by the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham in partnership with the University of Manchester and the Nuffield Trust, reveals that hospital boards report that they are placing a high priority on care quality and safety, and many invested significantly in nurse and medical staffing in the wake of the Francis Report. However, some hospital boards reported feeling that quality assurance as a pressure, as the demands of multiple external regulators was reported to sometimes feel burdensome, threatening to distract from a focus on the actual work of service improvements.

Quality assurance for apprenticeships confirmed

The Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) has confirmed the arrangements for the delivery of external quality assurance (EQA) of apprenticeship end-point assessments to ensure they are effective, consistent and fit for purpose.

Equality and diversity mapping exercise 2017

NHS Employers is working with NHS England to gather information from trusts to:

• understand what the capacity is within NHS organisations to deliver against the various equality and diversity standards and mandates across England
• identify key trends, developments, issues and gaps
• assess how we can better support you to meet your requirements under the Equality Act 2010.

Effective events for local quality improvement following national clinical audit

The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership has published Effective events for local quality improvement following national clinical audit. This guide contains information to aid the planning, organisation and delivery of effective quality improvement workshops and how to follow up and maintain momentum. It includes checklists, website links, templates and case studies.

Cervical screening: laboratory testing for human papillomavirus

This document from Public Health England is for use in laboratories performing human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as part of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme

Improving the quality of diagnostic spirometry in adults

The Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology (ARTP) and partner agencies have published Improving the quality of diagnostic spirometry in adults: the National Register of certified professionals and operators. This document, aimed at commissioners and providers of diagnostic spirometry, sets out a framework for assessing and certifying the competence of healthcare professionals and operators who perform and/or interpret diagnostic spirometry.

A Guide to Performing Quality Assured Diagnostic Spirometry

This step by step guide from PCC shows how high quality diagnostic spirometry can be delivered in primary care and elsewhere. It provides a clear outline covering operator competency, calibration and cleaning, preparation of the patient, operation of the equipment, interpretation of results and quality assurance.

North Lancashire and South Cumbria breast screening programme: quality assurance visit report

Public Health England (PHE) -
This executive summary report sets out observations and recommendations from a quality assurance visit to the NHS breast screening programme in North Lancashire and South Cumbria.

East And North Hertfordshire Diabetic Eye Screening Programme: Quality Assurance Visit Report

Public Health England (PHE) -
This executive summary report sets out observations and recommendations from a quality assurance visit to East and North Hertfordshire to assess the diabetic eye screening programme.

Quality assurance report: NHS cervical screening programme Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust visit on 18-19 May 2016

Public Health England (PHE) -
This document presents an executive summary of a quality assurance visit to Southport and Ormskirk hospitals and it sets out observations and recommendations on the cervical screening programme there.

Quality PGDs – 7 steps to success

Following the many and varied enquiries the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service receives about PGDs, it has developed this step by step guide to help organisations and potential authors and signatories of PGDs think about and follow necessary procedures before and during the stages of developing and authorising PGDs.

Quality, safety and clinical governance in ophthalmology: an overview

This document from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists aims to provide a simple overview of the principles and systems which currently exist in the UK for quality and safety (Q&S) in ophthalmology.

Improvements needed for how newborn babies and infants with complex health problems are cared for

This CQC review looks at how risks for newborn babies are identified and managed and at the care for infants in the community who need respiratory support.

Beyond Maternal Death: Improving The Quality Of Maternal Care Through National Studies Of 'Near-Miss' Maternal Morbidity

Studies of maternal mortality have been shown to result in important improvements to women’s health. It is now recognised that in countries where maternal deaths are rare, the study of near-miss severe maternal morbidity provides additional information to aid disease prevention, treatment and service provision. 

This NIHR study aimed to estimate the incidence of near-miss morbidities; describe different interventions and their impact on outcomes and costs; and compare an external confidential enquiry or a local review approach for investigating the quality of care for affected women.

Using Trust-level national clinical audit data to support quality assurance and quality improvement

The purpose of the workshop was to describe the progress of a collaborative endeavour between HQIP and CQC to systematically optimise the use of National Clinical Audit (NCA) data for both quality assurance and quality improvement.