Increase In Registered Managers Since CQC Announced Plans To Take Tough Action

The Care Quality Commision has secured a 57% increase in the number of new registered managers across 2439 health and social care services that we targeted in a six-month project.

The CQC set up the project last September to improve the high number of locations operating without a registered manager in place for the longest periods of time. It ran from November 2013 to April 2014. This is in addition to reviews carried out by our inspectors at locations across the whole of England.

Based on project figures set out in a Board report this month, 1395 out of those locations now have a registered manager in place. A further 470 (20%) manager applications have been submitted to us for approval.

The CQC say they have also used enforcement powers across 590 locations that failed to appoint or submit an application for a registered manager. A high proportion responded without the need for us to take further action but 42% have paid a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Andrea Sutcliffe, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Corporate Lead for Registration said: “This is really positive news for people who are using services and I am very encouraged that providers have responded to our challenge and taken steps to ensure that registered managers are in post.

“We know the role of the registered manager is an important one in making a difference to people’s experiences of care. They are vital in helping to make sure people receive services that are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

“As part of our new approach to changing the way we inspect and regulate adult social care that we’re currently consulting on, we are proposing that any location providing adult social care services will not be able to achieve a rating higher than ‘requires improvement’ if it has been without a registered manager (where one is required) for more than six months without reasonable justification.”