This grant is only available to GP practices, all other providers have to self-finance their compliance issues.
For practices that are put under special measures, NHS England and the RCGP have agreed a £5,000 grant and a 68 page framework to help GP Practices to get back on their feet, but there are some conditions attached.
The contract is a fixed fee contract but can be terminated by the RCGP on various grounds.
A refund may be made for unused time, although it is unclear how a fixed price contract will then be adjusted on a time charge methodology.
There no indication in the contract of staff seniority and hourly rates.
Legal firms are bound by regulations to full disclosure of expected charges, and have to keep you informed of changes throughout the assignment. In addition, you are protected by a dispute procedure; a regulatory body; and an ombudsman to whom you can take your compliant to. If the firm proves incompetent, you have contractual and legal remedies for independent costing, refund and damages.
Special measures came into effect from April 2015.
The purpose of these 'measures' by CQC is to ensure that practices that are found to be inadequate are not allowed to carry on unless they fix the problem. So how does this work?
A provider can be put into special measures AND also be subject to other enforcement action at the same time.
When CQC started, they aimed to inspected every GP by 2016, we predicted that they wouldn't meet the target, and based on initial performance it would have taken 14 years to achieve that.
By 2016, many more inspectors had been recruited, and the rules and guidelines have changed beyond recognition.
Where are we now?
The CQC web site is not the easiest to follow if you are looking for the numbers. Approximately 18% of practices have still not been inspected and we can expect all sites to be inspected at least once by sometime in 2018. We originally estimated they would achieve this by August 2017.
Editor's Note:
A common comment we hear from practices already visited is "there is no need to be so dilligent anymore as we've already had our inspection". A similar effect is observed with traffic cameras,where everyone slows down just enough to not get caught, and speeds as soon as they pass the danger.
The CQC is now advocating no visits for 5 years if a practice demonstrates good behaviour but with random unannounced visits.
Just to remind oursleves, the original aim was "To inspect a primary medical service provider approximately once every 2 years, but some practices may be inspected more often".
From April 2014 GP practices will be given two weeks’ notice before a CQC inspection under major changes to the way visits are carried out.
A CQC statement has said: ‘CCGs are being given at least four weeks advance notice that their area has been selected and GP practices in those areas will have at least two weeks’ notice of an inspection as opposed to the previous 48 hours, CQC reserve the right however to inspect unannounced at any time where a practice is identified as a risk.
As reported by Pulse, the Chief inspector of primary care Professor Steve Field has claimed that the change heralds a ‘new approach’ in the way the CQC works with GP practices, aiming to support them to raise standards.
For cleaning utilities like the slop hopper, there is no specific legislation that says you must have this. However, it is good practice, and avoids cleaners from using kitchen and toilet sinks as substitutes. In short, you do not have to have a slop hopper, but whatever you use, you should follow the following principles:-
Most organisations that have a slop hopper, usually have a designated janitorial area, separate from kitchen, clinical and public facilities. This is quite difficult in older GP premises and they often install these in a staff toilet area, which is not ideal as cross contamination risk is still high.
When in doubt about any equipment, the safest option is to speak to the manufacturer and use a recommended/qualified installer, simply because they understand better than all others exactly how/where to install as they do this on a daily basis.