Everywhere we look there is the need for information to be gained from us, a simple trip to the shops can often lead to information being given to retailers in the wake of a new promotion or venture that looks appealing. The passing of information is commonplace in society and for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) the Provider Information Return, or PIR, is its way of gathering information about the services they inspect.
Whilst it can seem like a daunting annual task to complete the PIR return, it should be seen as an opportunity to advertise the things that are being done well at a service, as well as detailing any improvement areas that may be taking place over the next twelve months. The PIR must be completed on a yearly basis and following a recent announcement by CQC, annual requests will now take place on the anniversary month of your first site visit from the regulator, allowing you time to plan ahead for the next submission.
So, what exactly is the PIR process, a step by step process guide can be seen below:
QCS’ policy and procedure on the Provider Information Return can also further support completion of the return and some useful top tips to completing the PIR include:
- Be realistic of what you have achieved over the last twelve months that ensures your service is meeting the five Key Lines of Enquiry
- Use the CQC KLOEs Prompt guidance as a way of ensuring you meet the requirements
- Any improvements that are documented must be achievable and realistic to your service; remember that CQC will look at these on future visits
- Ensure all the information provided is correct to your service as it may be inspected upon during the next CQC visit
- Organise your time to complete the PIR; not submitting the return on time can lead to a ‘requires improvement’ rating under the Well-led section
