Provider Information Return Sarah Ireland, Inspector North Staffordshire and Stoke Team

Why do we request a PIR? The information provided in the PIR helps inspectors to understand how the service meets the five key questions and the plans you have to make improvements. We would expect a ‘Good’ provider/registered manager to have the information required to complete the PIR to continually plan and evidence how they deliver care. If a PIR is not received or submitted within the deadline the highest rating in well led is Requires Improvement.

How do we use the information in the PIR We use the information when we are planning our inspections. The PIR can identify any improvements that have been put in place since our last inspections We have return to good/outstanding principles in place and the PIR is an important tool when we are assessing whether services have maintained their rating or have provided evidence of a possible increase in their ratings. A detailed PIR usually indicates a well manged service with a clear oversight of the support provided with positive outcomes for people. Inspectors read through the PIR’s and highlight any areas that need clarification or further discussion at inspection.

Using your PIR to evidence Good/Outstanding Where providers/registered managers feel that they have supported people to achieve positive outcomes the PIR is a tool to highlight these areas. For example; Caring = A person’s independence has significantly increased because of the support provided. Responsive = A person has been supported to access the community, which they were unable to do until they received support. Well Led = How the service continually strives for improvement with the focus of person centred care that is outcome based. If you have used creative or innovative ways to help people achieve outcomes record this in the PIR.

Questions/Answers • How can we best grow and expand our company without losing the quality of the service we have worked so hard to build and maintain? • How to cope with word limit specifically how to be succinct whilst still get prime points across, and examples of Prime Points to get across? • Avoiding any ambiguity answering the questions and understanding what is being asked by the questions?

Characteristics of Outstanding Services

What we use to inform decisions of ratings We have developed characteristics to describe what ‘outstanding’, ‘good’, ‘requires improvement’ and ‘inadequate’ care looks like in relation to each of the five key questions. These characteristics provide a framework which, together with professional judgement, guide our inspection teams when they award a rating. The inspection team uses their professional judgment, taking into account best practice and recognised guidelines, with consistency assured through the ratings principles and the quality control process. https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/adult-social-care/key- lines-enquiry-adult-social-care-services

Characteristics of Outstanding Safe People are involved in developing comprehensive and innovative approaches to safeguarding, which enables positive risk taking to maximise control over their lives. The service seeks ways to continually improve, puts changes into practice and sustains them. There is a transparent and open culture that encourages creative thinking in relation to people’s safety. Learning is based on a thorough analysis of when things go wrong. Staff and people are encouraged to participate in and apply learning to improve safety as much as possible. There is a genuinely open and reflective culture.

Characteristics of Outstanding Effective The service works in partnership with other agencies, knows about and applies best practice guidelines, develops/contributes towards best practice guidelines and this has a positive impact on people's experience of receiving care. Staff training is developed and tailored around people's needs. The service empowers people to make choices about their health how it should be managed and monitored. People’s consent is sought, assessed and preferences promoted in all aspects of their care. Links with health and social care services are excellent. The service utilises innovative practice to improve health outcomes for people. Listening to people’s wishes with regards to the decoration and acting on this to meet people’s wishes.

Characteristics of Outstanding Caring Strong person centred culture and this impacts positively on people’s experience of receiving care. Staff are highly motivated and offer care and support that is highly compassionate and kind, Respect for privacy and dignity is embedded in everything that the service and its staff do. An EDHR approach to supporting privacy and dignity is embedded in the service.

Characteristics of Outstanding Responsive People feel consulted, empowered and staff use innovative ways to involve people in developing their care and support plans and leading their care. Staff have outstanding skills and have an excellent understanding of people's needs relating to protected characteristics. People are supported to live fulfilling lives and are active members of the local community. The service is skilled at helping people and their families record their wishes about the care they wish to receive at the end of their life. Staff use a variety of tools to help people communicate. People’s preferences, views, and life history are understood and used to tailor their care.

Characteristics of Outstanding Well-led The vision and values of the service are imaginative and people are at the heart of the service. These values will be developed with people, staff and staff will be able to demonstrate that they understand and ‘live’ these values as part of the organisational culture. Governance is embedded into the running of the service. There is a strong governance and accountability framework at all levels of the organisation and organisational learning is well embedded, open and transparent. Managers develop, discuss, promote and implement innovative ways of involving people in high quality, outstanding practice that is sustained over time.

A journey to outstanding Ultimately inspection teams will consider inspection findings in line with the characteristics of ratings and ask the ‘so what?’ question. How do you provide care that results in people receiving an outstanding experience of receiving care and support? Our inspections are focussed on people's experience of receiving care. Other relevant publications include: https://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/20170420_celebratinggoodcare2017.pdf Strong and transparent leadership A positive organisational culture Good oversight of care Driving change through effective systems and processes Open to challenge and change Effective collaboration with partners Engaging with those who use the service