QAA publishes response to second Medr consultation

QAA Cymru has published its response to the second part of Medr's consultation on a new regulatory system for Wales, including conditions of registration and funding.

QAA has welcomed the consultation's clearer presentation of the range of intervention powers proposed, and the intention to operate a risk-based and proportionate approach, with a monitoring system based on early engagement, as well as a direction of travel towards a more improvement-focused regulatory system.

We have also welcomed the recognition that providers will need to demonstrate both effective internal quality assurance and a commitment to continuous improvement. In doing so, we have also highlighted areas which we believe would benefit from further refinement.

These include enhancing the accessibility of documentation, underlining the value of the use and sharing of data to underpin monitoring and oversight, and strengthening how external reference points, sector-led enhancement and peer input are shown as contributing to regulatory judgments and the improvement of quality, as well as stressing the need to ensure strong alignment with existing external quality review and provider self-evaluation, to minimise duplication and avoid creating additional administrative burden.

We also emphasise the importance of clarity in distinguishing the points at which routine monitoring activities may prompt concerns and interventions, pointing out that greater transparency can strengthen confidence and help providers better understand how monitoring information will be interpreted.

We add that it would be helpful to set out more clearly what the minimum quality expectations upon providers are, and what types of evidence are considered sufficient to demonstrate alignment – and to be explicit in recognising the role of peer input, sector-recognised standards and external reference points as core features of robust quality assurance.