Update on what the SURP have been doing

Working with CQC colleagues to support and inform the next annual Mental Health Act report

SURP members discussed the upcoming Mental Health Act report with CQC policy colleagues. We showed them the priority areas that we had identified for including in the report. We asked whether these felt important to them and whether we had missed anything. We also asked them how we can make sure the report is accessible and engaging for the public. Some key points from the discussion include:

• More understanding needed about the reaction time and procedures after spotting a closed culture
• More support needed for people transitioning from CAMHS to adult mental health services
• There should be more communication from staff after use of a restrictive practice
• Lack of staff and poor staff morale impacts patient morale and quality of care
• Need to consider inequalities across all protected characteristics
• Mental health staff need training in unconscious bias
• Pictures, videos and peoples lived experiences would make the report more engaging.

Reports and outputs

CQC website reports tell us how well a service provider (like your GP or hospital) is doing and gives them a rating. This helps people who use services make decisions about their care. It also helps providers understand how well they are doing and where they can improve.

Panel members took part in an online workshop. They discussed changes to CQC's website assessment reports. The key points that CQC took from the session include:

• The reports need to be more accessible with improved use-ability
• Using numbers to show how a service rating is helpful
• Summaries of people’s experiences should provide a balanced view from a range of people
• People’s experience summaries should show common themes of feedback.

CQC’s 2 new videos to tell people who we are and what we do

CQC are developing new videos to tell people who we are and what we do. The SURP looked at previous videos that CQC had developed. They talked about what is important to include in the new videos and how the videos can be accessible.

Key points include:

• Prefer having a person describing what is happening rather than background music
• Having something visual makes it easier to see how things work
• How you can contact CQC needs to be clear
• Videos should recognise diversity and consider all accessibility needs
• Videos should include information about CQC powers and who CQC regulates
• People need reassurance that CQC will believe them when they share their experience.