Contract, quality and performance monitoring

The money we spend is funded by the public and therefore must be spent in a way that meets the public needs, while achieving the best quality and value for money. In order to achieve this all services must meet a minimum level of quality, performance and outcomes for the service users throughout the whole life of the contract.

We use a risk-based approach to contract monitoring and all providers can expect to receive at least an annual quality visit or review to their service.

Other data sources such as performance data, complaints, safeguarding concerns, or concerns raised from providers, the public or professionals are used to determine any additional contract monitoring that is required. This enables the resources to be targeted at those services who need additional monitoring or support to improve the quality.

We use a Quality Assessment Framework (QAF) for the purposes of quality monitoring. We have developed a set of outcome standards that we use to measure services against. The outcome standards within the QAF are:

• Outcome 1: People benefit from person centred care and support
• Outcome 2: People are safeguarded from abuse
• Outcome 3: People are supported by excellent staff
• Outcome 4: Organisational and management systems ensure excellent quality services
• Outcome 5: People benefit from excellent security, health and safety

There needs to be effective quality monitoring to ensure services are meeting the needs of the people who are using them. Monitoring is essential in reducing the exposure to risk and to ensure providers are able to provide the highest quality of service provision to the people of Gateshead.