Published on: 23rd April 2009
New reporting requirements announced today will see NHS foundation trusts across England and all NHS organisations in the East of England report on the quality of care their organisations deliver - and how they plan to improve it - as part of their 2008-09 Annual Reports.
The introduction of quality reporting follows a joint consultation by Monitor, NHS East of England, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Department of Health.
Quality reports will help to develop more transparent and accountable public reporting, ensure that Boards have clear priorities and achievable plans in place for driving improvement, and help to inform the development of Quality Accounts, a legal requirement for all NHS organisations from 2010 as set out in High Quality Care for All.
All NHS foundation trusts in England, and NHS organisations in the East of England, will be asked to:
The majority of responses to the consultation were supportive of both the concept and the proposed structure for quality reports. Some respondents had concerns about the timeframe, but most recognised that the introduction of quality reports for 2008-09 will be a developmental process.
Monitor, NHS East of England, the CQC and the Department of Health view these reports as the starting point for an approach on quality reporting which will develop and become more comprehensive over time. In preparing quality reports, Boards will identify opportunities to improve the content, structure and process for producing quality reports and for managing quality within their organisations.
The Department of Health will be formally evaluating the production of the 2008/09 quality reports to capture the learning and experience ahead of introducing the regulations to set out the detailed requirements for 2009/10 Quality Accounts in the autumn. All partners are keen to ensure this process helps to ensure that Quality Accounts are produced and presented in a way that offers the maximum possible opportunity for public engagement and accountability.
Monitor has revised the NHS Foundation Trust Financial Reporting Manual to reflect the new requirement for foundation trusts to include quality reports in their 2008/09 Annual Reports. NHS East of England will place the same requirement on NHS providers (Acute, Mental Health and Ambulance trusts and PCT provider arms) in the region.
Dr William Moyes, Executive Chair of Monitor, said:
“We’re requiring trusts to develop a clear narrative explaining the quality of the care they offer and their priorities for improvement – this will have a real impact on the way the Boards approach quality, and the way in which they discuss quality with the public. Boards should be using this opportunity to prepare for the introduction of Quality Accounts next year, to engage stakeholders in the development of quality reports and to really understand how their organisation measures up on quality and what they need to do to drive improvement.”
Sir Neil McKay, Chief Executive of NHS East of England, said:
“Quality is the heart of the NHS – it pumps improvement through the system. Quality Reports will promote greater Board engagement with the Quality agenda, but they will also be a vital stakeholder engagement tool. I would expect the NHS to develop Quality Reports with local people, so that there is greater accountability to the public and a basis for ongoing dialogue regarding patient experience, clinical outcomes and patient safety.”
CQC Chair Barbara Young said:
“We welcome the positive response to the consultation on quality reporting and will continue to work closely with the Department of Health, Monitor and the NHS East of England.
“These findings will start to shape a new form of engagement for providers of NHS care and the people who use their services. We genuinely hope that foundation trusts and all NHS organisations in the East of England will embrace this opportunity in testing these proposals and shaping their future development. This should enrich the dialogue on the quality of care between service providers and those who use services and their communities.”
Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, the Department of Health’s NHS Medical Director, said:
“I am very pleased that we have reached another significant milestone in our drive to put quality at the heart of the services that the NHS delivers to patients. Quality reports will provide us with valuable learning for the introduction of statutory quality accounts next year.”
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