Working in partnership: Getting the best from inspection, audit ...

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IntroductionThe ConcordatThe Concordat is a voluntary agreement between organisations that regulate,audit, inspect or review elements of health and social care in England. It waslaunched in June 2004 by 10 organisations, led by the Healthcare Commission.There are now 20 signatories working together to coordinate their activitiessuch as audits, reviews and inspections. By streamlining their activities, thesesignatories are supporting the improvement of health services for the public.The Concordat sets out what bodies providing healthcare in England can expectfrom the main inspecting bodies. It forms the basis of a programme to developand implement policies for inspection that are based on sound objectives andpractices. By inspection, we mean audits, reviews, assessments and theregulation of services. The Concordat is designed to support the improvementof services for the public and to reduce unnecessary burdens on frontline staff.The Concordat:• has been agreed by the signatories, which are listed in Appendix B, and theCabinet Office• is led by the Healthcare Commission, which has a statutory responsibility topromote the effective coordination of reviews or assessments relating to theprovision of healthcare by or for the NHS including cross border specialhealth authorities• fulfils a commitment in Making a difference: reducing burdens in healthcareinspection and monitoring, Department of Health, Cabinet Office (2003). Actionone of this report announced the development of a Concordat on the inspectionof healthcare between reviewing bodies and providers of healthcare.This Concordat is concerned predominately with the inspection of organisationsproviding health and social care. However, the signatories recognise thatpatients and clients often receive care or support from several agencies andthat the effective delivery of social care is an important aspect of their overallcare and experience. The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) is asignatory to this Concordat and will ensure that arrangements are developedfor social care services that are consistent with its principles. In order todevelop ’holistic’ approaches, CSCI is developing substantial programmes ofjoint inspection with the Healthcare Commission, as well as with bodies suchas Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) and the Audit Commission. Itintends to shape those programmes in line with the principles of the Concordatand will keep its progress in this area under close review.6Concordat Getting the best from inspection, audit, review and regulation of health and social care May 2006
ObjectivesThe Concordat has been developed by the inspecting bodies, in conjunction withhealth services. It is made up of 10 objectives that enable organisations to worktogether to remove unnecessary burdens associated with inspections, audits orreviews. Each objective is underpinned by a number of practices that are aimedat ensuring that the objectives of the Concordat are being met.It identifies 10 objectives that are aimed at:• delivering more consistent and coherent programmes of inspection• improving services for patients, clients and their carers• reducing unnecessary burdens of inspection on staff providing healthcareUnderpinning these objectives are a number of practices that will help tosecure effective implementation. The development and operation of suchpractices will take account of:• formal and informal agreements between inspecting bodies• inspecting bodies’ respective statutory remits and relevant professionalstandards• the extent to which particular practices would enable bodies to fulfil theirindividual or collective functionsThe aim is to achieve greater consistency and cohesion in the inspection ofhealth and healthcare. However, while the closer alignment of methodologiesmay often be beneficial, the Concordat’s intention is not to impose a singleinspection methodology or to replace the existing methodologies that best meetthe needs of the services for which they have been developed. Equally, theConcordat does not affect the statutory remit of individual inspecting bodies.Where there is any overlap or conflict in statutory remits, the bodies concernedwill seek to manage this effectively.SignatoriesSo far 20 organisations involved in the regulation, audit or review of health andsocial care have signed up to the Concordat. There are two types of signatories:• full signatoriesFull signatories are those organisations that directly or indirectly regulate,audit or review health or social care in England and/or routinely requestdata from, or carry out inspections of, NHS organisations and providers ofindependent healthcare.Concordat Getting the best from inspection, audit, review and regulation of health and social care May 2006 7
Page 1 and 2: Working in partnershipGetting the b
Page 3 and 4: David BehanCommission for Social Ca
Page 5 and 6: ContentsForeword by Rt Hon Jane Ken
Page 7: ForewordThe Government’s continui
Page 11 and 12: Objective oneInspections are coordi
Page 14 and 15: Objective threeInspections support
Page 16 and 17: Objective four continuedPractice 4.
Page 18 and 19: Objective sixInspections are target
Page 20 and 21: Objective eightInspecting bodies us
Page 22 and 23: Objective 10Inspecting bodies conti
Page 24 and 25: Appendix A continuedThe Government
Page 26 and 27: Appendix BSignatories to the Concor
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Page 30 and 31: Appendix B continuedThe Postgraduat
Page 32 and 33: Appendix B continuedNHS Counter Fra
Page 34 and 35: Appendix B continuedQuality Assuran
Page 36 and 37: Sefydlwyd Arolygiaeth Gofal Iechyd
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