Preparing your team for a visit & Information Requests

A number of inspectors will visit numerous services across all the divisions, we don’t know which ones or when they will be. Ahead of each inspection, the trust is always asked to provide a lot of information. We will be asked for more during the visits, as they follow key lines of enquiry, questioning and then triangulating the information.

The CQC will visit teams, talk to managers, clinicians, and heads of department and may talk to administrators, receptionists, cleaners, porters and other support staff. They will observe care and any information that links to the patient or service user’s journey. They may ask for feedback and host listening events with you, patients and carers to gain further feedback too.

The purpose of the inspection is to make sure that we are continuing to deliver high quality care to all our service users. We need to show the CQC what a great job we are doing and how we continuously strive for improvement.

The results from the previous CQC inspection for the Trust demonstrated how we deliver safe and effective care. All staff should be proud of the part they play in supporting our patients. There is no doubt that together we make a positive difference to people’s lives. The inspectors will be particularly interested in hearing people’s experiences of care, but will also want them to say where they would like to see improvements made in the future.

The below process map explains what to do when an inspector arrives at your service/team.

Information Requests – both adhoc and during inspections

During an inspection, CQC will request data or information relating to the service or team on the day or a few days following the inspection. The inspector may contact you directly for this information however as a Trust we have a robust process in place for these types of requests.  

Below is the process we have in place and should be followed if you receive an email directly from CQC.