Safety recommendation
HSIB recommends that the Care Quality Commission reviews and appropriately develops its methodology for regulatory assurance of arrangements between NHS and independent providers for the provision of care across care pathways. This is to include any screening and risk management processes used to ensure the safe transfer of care between providers.
Response:
We welcome this report, which identifies vital patient safety issues that the regulatory ecosystem is well placed to address.
In the immediate we will ensure that our current frameworks and guidance sufficiently reference the importance of providers having robust process in place for transfers of care between NHS and Independent acute providers.
Further to that we will ensure that these are given due regard in the development of our new regulatory model, and in our work to respond to related matters, such as the Paterson and Cumberlege reports.
Action: Update our existing inspection guidance to reference screening and risk management processes for transfers of care between NHS and IH providers by Spring 2022. Additionally, we will update our Surgery Core Service Framework Well-Led Prompts.
Action: Include references to relevant guidelines and supporting evidence in our new Single Assessment Framework by Autumn 2022. Additionally, reference will be in evidence categories for surgery.
Response received on 7 January 2022.