What a C.Q.C Inspection feels like – from my side of the door!
Written By Caroline A Member of The Care Worker Advisory Board and Champions Project.
O.M.G. We are due a visit from C.Q.C. Have I completed my daily health and safety checks?
As a key worker, are my residents P.C.P’s and H.A.P’s up to date?
When I was on kitchen duty, did I check the dates on the food and complete the fridge temperatures and cleaning tasks?
What are they going to ask me?
Will I know what to say?
Sounds familiar guys?
The thing is, we are all harbouring the age-old myth that C.Q.C are trying to ‘catch us out’ and the truth of the matter is, they are not. The government has policies/procedures and guidelines for the care industry and the company we work for, has them too. We have had training and have access to all of these, and we actually abide by them daily, most of them without realising it as it is a part of our daily duties. When I make a residents bed in the morning, after showering them and hoisting them into their wheelchair with another member of staff, I will have checked the components of the bed and wheelchair without thinking about it as we do this everyday. There are at least four policies/procedures that we have followed there, just by completing daily duties and tasks.
O.M.G – The visit from the C.Q.C will be happening any day now!
What if it is when I’m on shift and I’m shift leading and on medication rounds?
What if they come in the meds room and watch me and my colleague? I get nervous when being watched and if I make a mistake?
What if I miss one of the shift leader’s tasks/checklists?
Will I get into trouble?
Shall I hide the laundry?
Do these sound familiar too?
We all know that fear can be irrational so completing tasks, leading a team and meds giving are done on a daily basis, for which we have had training and competency audits so why the fear? When working with service users daily and for some time, we give them our best duty of care, we get to know them, know their needs, what they are trying to convey to us if they are non-verbal, why they are having their challenging behaviours and how to calm them down, because of our knowledge of them. How are the C.Q.C inspectors going to react to me telling a young lady in a firm voice, to put her hand when she has raised it to hit someone? We know the firm voice will be listened to and she will put her hand and head down and be sorry. When a young man gets agitated, he can be calmed down with soothing talk, stroking his head and/or arm and he will react to a kiss on the top of his head and maybe a hug. It is a natural thing for him, and it works, but is that appropriate? (The answer is, the inspectors are not going to react negatively as they see the personal approach.)
The next thing that happens is management!
O.M.G – the office is like a tornado has swept through it.
The manager (who I might add) is always on top of everything with the help of her management team but the whole management team are giving orders, rushing around and checking everything twice. These guys do their jobs on a daily basis just like the team on the floor, and they appear to doubt themselves, just like we do, and they follow policies and procedures, so it appears that the fear starts at the top.
Guess what? C.Q.C are here!
So, two ladies are in the office with the manager. We can see them smiling and hear them talking, see random folders on the desk they are going through and asking questions. We are all on the floor going about our daily duties and then the office door opens and the ladies come out. They go around the building introducing themselves to staff who in turn introduce them to the residents they meet along the way. The ladies are chatting away, asking questions about the residents and what the staff are doing today. They visit bedrooms, communal areas, the sensory garden and appear very friendly and interested in what we have to say. (No-one is hiding in the laundry.) They go back into the office, thank everyone for looking after them and off they go. Management looks happy! Then, a message comes through on Teams saying ‘Well done guys’ the inspection went really well, and the manager is proud of us all. Pat of the back for everyone.
PHEW
I wasn’t worried, didn’t I say it would be OK!!