Second phase: visits, advice, encouragement and corrective measures

Based on the results of the analysis conducted in the first phase, the inspectorate may opt to conduct one or more inspection visits in the second phase. A visit may entail an annual meeting with the Board of Management, interviews with staff, an inspection of records, or any combination of these activities. The approach will be tailored according to the size and complexity of the organisation.

Visits
An inspection visit focuses on the risks identified during the first phase. Note that these are generally regarded as 'potential' risks, since it is often impossible to ascertain whether they actually exist on the basis of the available information.

In the larger sectors, the inspectorate will visit all institutions at which an elevated level of potential risk has been noted. Because the inspectorate also wishes to identify those institutions at which a lower level of risk exists (and why), they too may be visited.

The inspectorate conducts random inspections to verify that those institutions which perform well on paper are also doing so in practice. The Inspectorate may also make visits to investigate certain trends.

Measures
Following a visit, the Inspectorate will decide whether the health care institution concerned is to be required to make improvements to the quality of care and, if so, how long it will be allowed to do so. If the care provider fails to take appropriate action within the allotted period, the inspectorate may impose a regime of 'enhanced supervision'.

Reporting
The Inspectorate produces a full report of every inspection visit. If the visits to several institutions produce a general impression of a certain care sector, the inspectorate may also choose to produce an aggregated report.