Executive Reviewer - Local Authority Assessments

Location: National

Contracted hours: As and when required (ad hoc)

Closing Date: Sunday 20th September at 11.59pm

This is an honorary unpaid role where a Local Authority releases an individual for inspections without reimbursement from the CQC; the individuals will be eligible for paid expenses.

Are you committed to helping us assess how Local Authorities deliver their duties under the Care Act 2014? When thinking about what drives you every day in your job, what keeps you motivated and passionate about your work? For 3000+ people at the CQC, we end each day knowing that we have made a difference to the lives of those most in need in our communities. We make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and encourage care services to improve. We are looking for people who are caring, demonstrate integrity and work well as part of a team to join with us and share in this sense of achievement. If you would like to help us make a positive impact on health and social care within England, then read on.

With the introduction of the Health and Care Act of 2022, CQC has new powers regarding assessment of how Local Authorities (LAs) deliver their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act. As part of a multi-disciplinary team, you will work closely with colleagues in the LA assessment team and will support on-site and offsite assessment activity. This will help ensure our judgements are informed by up-to-date professional knowledge and experience.

Why this could be a great role for you… This role is critical to supporting the Local Authority Assessment Team in incorporating contemporary operational and strategic leadership knowledge, by offering an expert peer perspective to inform the findings and judgements reached. Executive Reviewers will be substantively or recently employed in a very senior leadership position within a Local Authority (LA), Local Government Association (LGA) or Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) with a personal reputation of providing effective strategic leadership over time in a range of differing circumstances. The role requires proactive participation throughout the assessment process and a commitment to supporting fair, evidence-based judgements.

As an Executive Reviewer, you will get involved with:

• Proactively participating with CQC representatives on assessment activity.
• Providing relevant advice and input to your specialist area to support and formulate appropriate judgements.
• Identifying and reviewing key documents in support of your analysis of the local authorities.
• Assessing individual capabilities by informing the areas for exploration in interviews which you will lead.
• Participating in the quality assurance processes and giving written feedback.

To help you better understand the role, assessment process, expectations and time commitment, please review our Executive Reviewer and Specialist Advisor Guidance for Local Authority Assessments before applying. This role is ad-hoc and can be undertaken alongside your current role; Executive Reviewers are released by their substantive organisation to support on-site and off-site elements of the LA Assessment. Many employers encourage this as it is a valuable tool for service improvement and supporting personal professional development; however, we would encourage candidates to discuss and agree this with their employer prior to submitting an application. Where an Executive Reviewer is doing this work in their own time, they claim both expenses and our daily rate.

What you will bring... You will have up-to-date and credible professional knowledge of the Care Act and experience as a very senior leader in Adult Social Care which will help you evaluate and analyse evidence and information. You should be a skilled communicator, with the ability to engage with staff, users of services and stakeholders at every level. You should be able to demonstrate the ability to interpret complex information and be comfortable working transparently as part of a team.

Role expectations…

• Proactively participate with CQC representatives on assessment and investigation activity to identified Local Authorities and provide relevant advice and input to your specialist area to support appropriate judgements to be made.
• Undertake any identified Local Authority Assessment specific preparation e.g. to identify and review key documents which will support your analysis of the local authority and contribution to briefing call.
• Review the drafted interview schedule to optimise appropriate utilisation of the expertise of the ER.
• Assess leadership capability within the local authority by informing the areas for exploration in interviews.
• Assess leadership capability within the local authority by leading interviews.
• Assess the local authority against the 9 quality standards, particularly those relating to leadership and governance.
• Assess organisational process and response for mitigating corporate risk and providing assurance of delivery standards.
• Contribute their views and observations based on experience and good practice, to corroboration discussions and in writing during or shortly after the assessment.
• Provide challenge to any perceived bias within the assessment team, to ensure fair identification and triangulation of information.
• Provide a written record of your findings at the end of the site visit.
• Endorse the key messages that require feedback to the Local Authority.
• Participate in the quality assurance processes and give written feedback.
• Maintain the confidentiality of information that is accessed in the course of work undertaken for CQC.
• Ensure all work carried out is within the scope of that required and relevant CQC policies/guidance are adhered to.
• Participate in a 1-2 hr remote induction, hosted virtually.

Expected time commitment for formal assessments...

• Must be able to commit to at least 2 full assessments within a 12-month period.
• Preparation and briefing calls – 3-4 hours.
• Where possible attend the pre site visit LA senior leadership meeting with CQC.
• Fieldwork activity – on site for a minimum of 2 days per assessment.
• Advice to team regarding documentation and interviews – 6 hours in total, but on an as and when needed basis.
• Input into quality assurance – 6-8 hours, split into sessions.
• Approximately up to 5 days total commitment, per assessment.
• Must attend a local authority assessment induction.

Please note this position will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

For an informal discussion or further information on the role, please contact Jeanette Blackburn, Deputy Director for Local Authority Assessments, jeanette.blackburn@cqc.org.uk

We promote a workplace where fairness, respect and inclusion are a priority. Diverse teams make our work better, help us deliver our mission and make our culture stronger.