Getting inspections right for children and young people

The importance of hospital services for children and young people is underlined in a report published we have published today.

Following the introduction of our new way of inspecting acute hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards, the chief inspector of hospitals asked Dr Sheila Shribman to advise on how CQC inspects hospital services for children and young people including stand-alone specialist children’s hospitals.

Dr Shribman, a former National Clinical Director for children, young people and maternity at the Department of Health lead a small team including clinical experts and CQC staff to design methodology to make sure the inspections were fit for purpose for children and young people. The team consulted with a range of key stakeholders.

Dr Shribman’s final report has resulted in 73 recommendations, a number of which formed the basis of two successful pilot inspections of specialist children’s hospitals (Sheffield and Alder Hey) that took place in May-June 2014. All the recommendations have now been considered and CQC accepts in whole or in part 70 of these recommendations. CQC has deferred making a decision on the remaining three.

Dr Shribman said: "I was delighted when Sir Mike asked me to oversee this work. It was hugely encouraging that the CQC recognised the importance of services for children and young people as well as the added complexities that children and young people bring to the inspection process."

Prof Sir Mike Richards said: "I am grateful to Dr Shribman for her considered report. Her recommendations make sense and we are accepting in whole or in part almost all of them. They will go a long way to ensuring that our inspection of services for children and young people are appropriate and command the confidence of those working in this field."