Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms exist for care home providers to provide feedback on the effectiveness of GP and Care Co-ordination pathways.

The Care provision, integration and continuity quality statement in the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) current assessment framework looks to assess whether:

• people receive care and treatment from services that understand the diverse health and social care needs of their local communities;

• there is continuity in people’s care and treatment because services are flexible and joined-up;

• people’s care and treatment is delivered in a way that meets their assessed needs from services that are co-ordinated and responsive; and

• delivering and co-ordinating services considers the needs and preferences of different people, including those with protected characteristics under the Equality Act and those at most risk of a poorer experience of care.

CQC inspectors may look at how care homes work with others, including general practices (GPs), to deliver joined up care to people using their services.

As part of the Provider Information Return for adult social care residential services, the CQC also asks about partnerships. Here, providers can give feedback on the effectiveness of how they work in partnership with other services.

Ensuring adequate GP provision is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs). GP surgeries, as primary care providers, are regulated by the CQC, and we expect the local ICB as the commissioner to take action if services are not meeting the reasonable needs of their patients.