[ad_1]
How Can I Make the Application Process more Efficient?
If you have started looking into becoming registered with the Care Quality Commission, you will have realised that there’s a lot more to it than just filling in an application form. Understanding the requirements of the CQC, getting your head round the definitions for each of the regulated activities and then working out exactly what forms you need to fill in can takes weeks in itself. And then you have to actually ensure that you are meeting all of the requirements, or have plans in place to do so, before your send your application off.
As all health and social care providers that carry out regulated activities are required by law to be registered with the Care Quality Commission, it is vital that those currently delivering services get their applications in as quickly as possible, to avoid facing legal charges and heavy penalties. Your role in applying for registration can take several weeks and the CQC have recently announced that their role, once they’ve received your application, is taking about 120 days. Therefore you need to ensure that you make the application process as efficient as possible, and the best way to achieve this is to develop a plan of action, which should include a number of key steps, as described below.
1. Check that you need to be registered.
Review the information provided on the CQC’s website which tells you exactly which activities need to be registered and provides examples of providers that fall within each category. Always remember that you may be required to be registered for more than one activity.
2. Apply for your CRB
Applying for a Criminal Records Bureau disclosure can take several weeks and often holds up the application process, so make sure that this is one of the first things that you do. It is a requirement that both the registered manager and the nominated individual have a CRB disclosure in place, and this must have been obtained within the last three months.
3. Request references
Both the registered manager and the nominated individual will need to obtain references, templates for which are provided on the CQC’s website. Get them requested early to ensure they are back in time for you to send off your application. Again, these references will only be valid for three months
4. Review the requirements
Read the CQC’s Essential Standards document and check that you have evidence in place of everything they are looking to see, ask yourself questions such as;
– Do you have the right policies in place and is there evidence that they are operational?
– Do you carry out appropriate risk assessments and act on your findings?
– Do you have good information governance processes in place?
5. Complete and submit the application form
The final step is to complete the appropriate application form(s) and the statement of purpose, which details exactly what your service intends to deliver and which activities will be regulated. Once these are all complete you can submit your application, references and cheque to the CQC. They will then send you an acknowledgment that it has been received and you just need to wait to hear from them.
Becoming CQC registered can seem like a daunting task but if you create a methodical plan and work around the key points above it should proceed smoothly and efficiently.
[ad_2]