Safety recommendation
It is recommended that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) extends the remit of its inspections to ensure that the whole care pathway, from child and adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services, is examined.
Response:
Our current approach to inspection is determined by the Health and Social Care Act 2008. We inspect registered providers or locations and do not normally inspect local systems. To commit to doing otherwise, would be to change the nature of how we inspect – which is based on risk, ratings and core services.
We have just piloted local system reviews in 20 areas looking specifically at how older people move through the health and care system. These reviews were undertaken with specific permission under section 48 of the Health and Social Care Act. To do this routinely would require a change in legislation. What CQC can commit to is ensuring that when we inspect CAMHS, we will review the arrangements they have to manage the pathway for patients into adult services. Likewise, when we inspect adult mental health services, we can enquire about their interface with CAMHS. Guidance is available to help our inspectors consider these issues.
Response received on 1 October 2018.