Reference/Features

Managing CQC requirements and visits: Planning and pitfalls

5 mins read CQC requirements
The Care Quality Commission inspects healthcare premises to ensure they meet its standards of quality and safety. Inspectors visit dental practices at short notice, talk to staff and patients, and ask some incisive questions about every aspect of how the practice is managed

As the regulator of health and social care in England, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) wants to ensure that patient care meets its essential standards of quality and safety (CQC, 2010a).

The CQC is required under section 23(1) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to publish guidance on the standards. Your practice should have a copy of this generic 274-page tome (CQC, 2010b).

The CQC has registered dental care providers and assessed compliance with regulations since 1 April 2011. Naturally, it was not expected that dental professionals would welcome another regulator presenting a generic set of standards to an already highly regulated and largely independent healthcare group. However, I have seen a wide variation of reactions from patients, team members, practice owners, associates, hygienists, technicians and suppliers.

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