THE 32-strong inspection team that visited East Lancashire’s hospitals in April stayed at the four-star Dunkenhalgh Hotel in Clayton-le-Moors, at a cost of nearly £19,000.
Figures obtained by the Lancashire Telegraph through Freedom of Information laws showed the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was charged £18,679 for the four-night stay, which included conference facilities needed ‘for the private and confidential discussions that are a necessary part of the inspection process’.
The regulator used the Calder Conferences agency to book the hotel, and said the price was equal to that quoted by The Samlesbury Hotel. It said five other hotels were contacted, but were not deemed suitable, were fully booked, or did not reply.
The costs will be met through the CQCs annual fees, which it receives from all the organisations it regulates.
ELHT was given a rating of ‘requires improvement’ after the inspection, but was deemed to have made sufficient progress to be lifted out of special measures.
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