Responding to people’s needs
In this series of blogs, we’re not just looking at how to prepare for a CQC inspection, we’re looking at what it takes to be Outstanding. A mock CQC inspection can help you identify any areas for improvement to give you an edge when it comes to the real thing.
In this blog, we’ll focus on the KLOE called responsive. Being responsive means how well your services meet people’s needs. And that means treating every service user and every member of staff as an individual, not a number, and making sure every individual is well cared for.
When the CQC rate how responsive you are, they’re looking at 3 key questions, which we’ll also cover during your mock CQC inspection:
1. How are you giving person-centred care that’s responsive to individuals’ needs?
To achieve an Outstanding rating, staff need to go above and beyond to get to know service users. That doesn’t just mean being familiar with their medical history and tailoring their care plan, it covers knowing their support network and keeping them informed, and having an active role in the community.
Staff should be sensitive to social and cultural diversity and understand that beliefs may influence how a service user wants to receive care. If your team can suggest appropriate ideas to a service user, that will really impress the CQC.
You should promote independence as much as possible to help service users retain their dignity while being mindful of their safety.
To make this a reality requires highly-trained staff who can use workplace technology. The inspector will talk to service users, their family and any visiting professionals.
2. Do you listen to feedback and take actions to improve quality of care?
Are you actively seeking feedback from service users and staff to make sure you’re meeting expectations and listening to complaints and concerns? Provide documents used for capturing feedback as evidence that you’re doing this, and show that there are procedures in place to handle complaints sensitively and impartially.
It’s not enough to just listen. You should also be judging when feedback requires action and be able to talk about improvements you’ve made off the back of this.
Investigations must be thorough and involve external stakeholders for a fresh and objective perspective.
3. How do you support service users at end-of-life, including helping them to have a comfortable, pain-free and dignified death?
At end-of-life, service users and their families want to feel as informed and empowered as possible. Staff should take time to record their wishes, including any religious requirements, and make sure their communication needs and mental capacity have been taken into account.
You should be working closely with other healthcare professionals to make sure service users are comfortable, pain-free and are treated with dignity. Person-centred care should strike a balance between following best practices and innovation, and you must have procedures in place to respond rapidly to changing needs.
Finally, emotional support should be provided for families and your staff.
To find out if your business is meeting CQC expectations, book a mock CQC inspection for a comprehensive report. Call our expert team on 0333 444 5344 or email info@careskilled.co.uk for more information.