Towards outstanding : a guide to excellence in health and social care

"Towards Outstanding" is an essential guide for health and social care services, and particularly those that are regulated by the UK regulatory authorities, including the Care Quality Commission. Written by Terri Salt, a highly experienced CQC leader, it shows how a mindset of getting the basics right and then applying context-specific finishing touches can allow any service to drive improvement and move towards an 'Outstanding' rating. The author also explores why, in addition to other patient and organisational benefits, good care is cheaper to provide than poor care. Structuring her advice around the 'five key questions' that CQC inspectors use (are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?), she draws on personal vignettes to paint a picture of a service where trust, positivity, a shared vision and a commitment to continuous improvement allow staff to generate new ideas, reflect on best practice, raise concerns where necessary and keep the patient at the centre of all activity.
Every service wants the prestige, trust and business benefits associated with an 'Outstanding' rating, and this book will help providers achieve it. Most importantly, it helps providers deliver higher quality care to the people using their services.