CQC live-in care

If you are looking for care services for the first time or are choosing a live-in care provider, it is important to get a true understanding as to the quality of care being offered. A useful place to start is on the CQC website researching and reading through providers inspection reports.

The CQC is the independent regulator of health and social care in England, with the objective of ensuring that people have access to safe, caring, effective, responsive and well-led care services. They monitor, inspect and regulate these services to make sure that they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. They publish what they find and give each provider performance ratings. Services are either rated outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.

Whilst all care homes throughout the country are regulated and inspected by the CQC, it is worth noting that not all home care providers are. Introduction agencies, who simply introduce you to a carer who you then directly employ yourselves, are not required to be regulated or inspected by the CQC. This is because they do not provide an on-going or managed service after introducing you to your carer. You will be responsible for employing, supervising and managing the level of care that is provided to your loved ones, which comes with many responsibilities including arranging cover for holidays and absences and paying the carer – all of which can be burden on many families, and not least because you cannot be assured of the quality of care you are receiving.

The CQC is the regulatory body in England that inspects and monitors care providers across the UK. Care providers are inspected against 5 Key Lines of Enquiry or KLOEs as they are also known as, and outlined below.

CQC registered care providers, like The Good Care Group, offer a fully managed care service. ‘Fully managed’ means that comprehensive assessments must take place to ensure care can be delivered safely and in the best interest of clients, and full care plans must be developed and regularly reviewed. Also any incidents, queries and complaints must be dealt with efficiently and legally all carers must be thoroughly vetted and trained in line with CQC standards.

Carers working for a CQC registered care provider are employed directly by the company, meaning families are not responsible for the employment of a carer and all that entails, for example sickness cover, holiday pay etc.

A CQC registered provider also legally has to have a Registered Manager in place to oversee all of the care that is delivered. In line with regulations, a Registered Manager must be fit to take on the role and have relevant health and care experience.

CQC vs Introductory Agency, which option is best for me?

There are two different types of live-in care provider. A care providers agency will simply source a qualified carer for you to employ, an approach which can reduce cost, but carries its own set of responsibilities. The introductory agency will not manage the carers pay, holiday and sick cover.

Fully managed providers employ full-time staff, train them well and select a carer that suits you. Many consider this a simpler solution and enjoy the extra peace of mind it brings.