The fundamental standards are the standards below which your care must never fall.
Everybody has the right to expect the following standards:
Person-centred care
You must have care or treatment that is tailored to you and meets your needs and preferences.
Visiting and accompanying
If you're in hospital, a care home or a hospice, you should be able to have visitors.
If you're living in a care home, you should be able to go out on visits without difficulty. And if you need to go to hospital or a hospice for an appointment, you should be allowed to have someone with you.
Dignity and respect
You must be treated with dignity and respect at all times while you're receiving care and treatment.
This includes making sure:
- You have privacy when you need and want it.
- Everybody is treated as equals.
- You're given any support you need to help you remain independent and involved in your local community.
Consent
You (or anybody legally acting on your behalf) must give your consent before any care or treatment is given to you.
Safety
You must not be given unsafe care or treatment or be put at risk of harm that could be avoided.
Providers must assess the risks to your health and safety during any care or treatment and make sure their staff have the qualifications, competence, skills and experience to keep you safe.
Safeguarding from abuse
You must not suffer any form of abuse or improper treatment while receiving care.
This includes:
- Neglect
- Degrading treatment
- Unnecessary or disproportionate restraint
- Inappropriate limits on your freedom.
Food and drink
You must have enough to eat and drink to keep you in good health while you receive care and treatment.
Premises and equipment
The places where you receive care and treatment and the equipment used in it must be clean, suitable and looked after properly.
The equipment used in your care and treatment must also be secure and used properly.
Complaints
You must be able to complain about your care and treatment.
The provider of your care must have a system in place so they can handle and respond to your complaint. They must investigate it thoroughly and take action if problems are identified.
Good governance
The provider of your care must have plans that ensure they can meet these standards.
They must have effective governance and systems to check on the quality and safety of care. These must help the service improve and reduce any risks to your health, safety and welfare.
Staffing
The provider of your care must have enough suitably qualified, competent and experienced staff to make sure they can meet these standards.
Their staff must be given the support, training and supervision they need to help them do their job.
Fit and proper staff
The provider of your care must only employ people who can provide care and treatment appropriate to their role. They must have strong recruitment procedures in place and carry out relevant checks such as on applicants' criminal records and work history.
Duty of candour
The provider of your care must be open and transparent with you about your care and treatment.
Should something go wrong, they must tell you what has happened, provide support and apologise.
Display of ratings
The provider of your care must display their CQC rating in a place where you can see it. They must also include this information on their website and make our latest report on their service available to you.