The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is to carry out rapid reviews of how health and social care providers are working collaboratively in local areas in response to Covid-19.
The Provider Collaboration Reviews (PCRs) reviews will focus on 11 Integrated Care System (ICS) or Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) areas.
The reviews will support providers across systems by sharing learning, helping to drive improvements and preparation for future pressures on local health and care systems.
In carrying out the reviews, CQC will use data it holds and undertake conversations with providers and ICS and STP leaders. That will include the experiences of people who use services.
CQC’s ambition is to look at provider collaboration in all ICS and STP areas. The first phase, between July and August, will see reviews in:
• Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICS
• Norfolk and Waveney STP
• Black Country and West Birmingham STP
• Lincolnshire STP
• North East and North Cumbria ICS
• Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria ICS
• Frimley Health and Care ICS
• Sussex Health and Care Partnership ICS
• North West London STP
• One Gloucestershire ICS
• Devon STP
Review teams will feedback findings to areas following each review to help them plan ahead. Themes from the 11 reviews will be reported in September in CQC’s COVID Insight report and State of Care in October.
The CQC said the reviews will involve understanding the journey for people with and without coronavirus across health and social care providers. They will focus on the interface between health and adult social care for the over-65 population group.
“Responses to the pandemic have offered opportunities for partnership working, ensuring shared efforts to avoid fragmentation and drive best experiences and outcomes for those accessing care within the system,” said CQC chief inspector of primary medical services and integrated care Dr. Rosie Benneyworth (pictured).
“These reviews will help identify where provider collaboration has worked well to the benefit of people who use services. Sharing that learning will help drive further improvements across systems,” she added.
The National Care Forum welcomed the programme of rapid reviews by the CQC looking at how local systems have responded to support care providers during the Covid crisis.
“The experience of our members on the front line in the fight against Covid within the care sector has shown a variety of responses from local systems, some very collaborative and supportive and some less so. We welcome the opportunity for a strong care provider voice within these reviews as we reflect collectively on the very difficult past few months of the crisis,” it said.
The NCF continued: “It is absolutely essential that we learn what has worked well within the local care and health system, for care providers and the very vulnerable people they serve, and what has not worked so well, so that we are better equipped to work together in the event of any second wave.
“It will also enable a valuable local lens on the role that national policymaking and guidance has played at a local level.”
