From 1st April, 2015 if you’ve been awarded a rating by the CQC under their new inspection regime, you will be required to publically display it. The information you display and how you display it will vary depending on your service type.
The ratings are as follows:
- Outstanding
- Good
- Requires Improvement
- Inadequate
All services with one of these ratings will be required to display the overall rating for each of the five key questions. Most of you know what these are by now, but just in case you can find them again below.
Is the service:
- Safe?
- Effective?
- Caring?
- Responsive?
- Well-led?
The CQC issued a press release with final guidance for providers, including a toolkit on 12 March 2015.
The guidance includes where and how the ratings must be displayed and sample poster templates. The directions are very specific, so we would recommend reviewing the information and sample posters.
From 1st April 2015, providers will be given 21 days from the date they receive their ratings to display them in a place where people will be sure to see it in each and every premises where a regulated activity is being delivered (unless this is a service users own home), in your main place of business and your website (if you have one).
If you were rated before 1st April 2015, then you have 21 days from 1st April 2015 to display your ratings.
Quality Compliance Systems has developed a new policy and procedure giving further guidance and instructions to ensure you are meeting this new requirement. If you are a QCS subscriber, you will find a copy of this new policy in your online system.