During the Covid-19 pandemic we published key question 7 as an addition to our quality framework for housing support and offender accommodation services.
In response to our learning from the pandemic and to incorporate a clearer focus on infection prevention and control, we have now updated this framework. We have made important updates to reflect the changing practice and policy context in which care and support is now provided.
These updates include:
- separation of standalone housing support services and offender accommodation services. Each will now have their own framework.
- removing key question 7 and adding a new quality indicator 1.5, ‘People’s health and wellbeing benefits from safe infection prevention and control practice and procedures.
- introducing ‘core assurances’. These are some things we will always look at on our inspections because they are key areas that are essential to a service being safe.
The framework supports services to evaluate their own performance and we have introduced a self-evaluation guide and toolkit. The toolkit was initially developed to support self-evaluation of key question 7 (primarily for Care homes and care at home) with the intention of it being updated to apply across the whole of the quality framework. We have now updated this toolkit and added specific example resources for housing support services. You can download the revised guidance and toolkit resources here.
From 8 November, all housing support services inspections will be undertaken using the updated framework and there will be no further use of key question 7 during inspections.
We are hosting a webinar for providers on 22 November, to introduce the changes and self-evaluation toolkit. You can sign up to attend the webinar here. This will be recorded and shared after the event for those unable to attend.
The revised framework, self-evaluation guidance and tools are available to download within the publications section of our website.