Risk-based inspection prediction

RQIA should consider developing a risk-based way of predicting which services are in difficulty. It is well known that certain aspects of services tend to be associated with abuse: service users who are vulnerable, who have few communication skills; service users with behaviour that challenges; services with poorly trained staff, insufficient staff, poor staff management, high sickness levels and high use of agency staff. Every inspection in services for these vulnerable populations must include a line of enquiry focusing on the possibility of abuse. This would be informed by a live dashboard, which should include warning signs such as staff shortages, the high use of agency staff and peer-on-peer abuse, by way of example.