Your inspections are EVIDENCED BASED, why is this important?
A CIUK inspection uses evidence gathered before or during the inspection. This ensures that information is accurate and not based on bias resulting from individual and group “judgements.”
This process has been developed to prevent inspectors’ prejudices from affecting the report and provide evidence for the care home to understand where compliance is present and improvements are needed.
The reliability of the evidence gathered and presented back to the care home is therefore credible and can be traced back to source material which supports the care home in demonstrating compliance to the standards, regulations and best practices that make managing a care home very complex.
What does an inspection involve?
Inspectors typically spend one or two days at a service. If information can be accessed remotely, this may reduce the time spent on-site.
Before the site visit, several documents and records are required so they can be reviewed before the inspection.
The inspection process utilises an electronic inspection tool, CAREINSPECT®; this system reduces inspector opinions and ‘judgements’ and gathers evidence to identify where improvements are required.
The inspector(s) will review documentation, observe practices, and discuss issues with staff, residents, and visitors in a supportive and conversational manner.
The process is designed to identify compliance and non-compliance and support the improvement of the care home.
Within the sections above, 700+ aspects are reviewed, evidenced, checked and comprehensively reported. This process includes reviewing documentation, interviewing management, staff, residents and relatives, and observation.
Does CiUK issue Inspection Reports? What else is provided?
Following the inspection, a DRAFT report is issued for factual accuracy checking, and after this is reviewed, a FINAL report is published.
Reports have clickable links to the source material (standards, regulations, best practices, etc.). CiUK also issues an action plan covering all non-compliances identified.
All reports and action plans are confidential.
We provide complete inspection details to the care home. To support improvement, CiUK provides backup assistance, which includes telephone and online support and access to documents and advice.
Are you able to inspect individual homes or groups of homes?
CIUK is accredited to inspect care homes across a wide range. We have teams of competent inspectors all over the UK. This means that whether it is one or any number of care homes, CIUK can carry out inspections promptly and professionally.
Why was there a move to set up Independent Registered Inspection Bodies?
In 2014, representatives from the care sector and others (UK Health and Social Care Regulators, UKAS, British Standards Institute (BSI), care providers, professional bodies, representative bodies and academics) contributed to a programme that established the creation of Registered Inspection Bodies for care homes with the intention that these bodies would be accountable and impartial, and would allow a subsequent distancing of Inspection from Regulation based on the most effective inspection models in other countries.
There is a strong need to make quality the focus of activity rather than confuse regulation with an inspection.
What is the point of having an independent inspection?
The CIUK inspection provides irrefutable evidence of the quality and compliance of a care home. This evidence will support the home in improving its position with regulators and commissioners. It also provides a basis of objectivity on which to develop improvement action plans.
CIUK, as a Registered Body, can provide detailed information to stakeholders that will help improve care standards, improve performance and reduce risk. The inspection report is thorough and provides information on sources for standards, regulations and best practices.
The care service can use the report and action plan to improve home standards, marketing, and home development. It can also demonstrate to regulators, commissioners, and potential residents that the inspection process is independent, robust, and part of continuous improvement.
Do you help care homes sort out any issues raised?
The report and backup information assists care homes in pinpointing issues, and the source data gives clear information on resolution. CIUK will assist in providing information and improving care and performance.
Who can organise an Inspection?
A CIUK inspection can be organised by the care home, provider, investor, or financier and benefits care and the operation of a care home by helping to understand the risk and recovery steps needed. This information supports the care home’s improvement and provides stakeholders with objective and verifiable data that can be relied upon.
To what extent would a CIUK inspection provide assurances of the quality of management, and would it assist management in making improvements that might be required?
The CIUK inspection objectively benchmarks the quality within a care setting against the legally required or national standards. In identifying the degree to which a service meets those standards and requirements, you can get an excellent measure of care home quality. By identifying areas of weakness, you can direct management efforts to improve.
Repeat inspections will objectively demonstrate the progress over time.
Why would an operator look to get an independent CIUK inspection rather than wait for a regulator visit?
An operator might do this for many reasons.
First, to obtain an objective measure against which to benchmark internal quality; second, to provide reassurance to stakeholders; and Third, in anticipation of a sale or refinance, mainly where the existing regulator rating is poor or dates back some time.
Is the CIUK Inspection process intrusive to the business or likely to alienate staff?
CIUK inspectors are very experienced in putting the staff team at ease. Remember that the findings are not public unless the company/business/management chooses to make them so. The purpose is not to find fault, as is often the feeling with regulatory visits, but to help benchmark against requirements and standards.
How long does a CIUK Inspection take?
The pre-inspection form is completed, and a few documents are securely uploaded to CIUK before the inspection.
The onsite inspection is usually 1 to 2 days involving one or two inspectors.
You guarantee your inspections - what does this mean?
CIUK guarantees that if a care service addresses the non-compliance issues raised and maintains the areas evidenced as compliant, the next regulatory inspection will result in improved gradings.
Do Regulators and Commissioners utilise CiUK reports?
A CIUK report is comprehensive and evidence-based, which means that the report strongly supports the evidence that regulators and commissioners rely on. The care home can demonstrate effectiveness, compliance, and a solid commitment to continuous improvement.
