What Happens During a CQC Inspection? A Guide for Care Providers

Types of CQC inspection

CQC uses several types of inspection. Comprehensive inspections cover all 5 Key Questions and result in an updated rating for the service. Focused inspections target specific concerns or Key Questions — they may follow a complaint, an incident report, or a concern identified through CQC's monitoring of performance data. Remote assessments have also been introduced, where CQC collects evidence from providers and stakeholders without an in-person visit.

Do you get advance notice?

Most CQC inspections are unannounced — inspectors arrive without prior warning. This is deliberate: CQC wants to see the service as it normally operates, not a version that has been prepared for a visit. However, some types of inspection (particularly comprehensive inspections of large services) may involve a short amount of advance notice, and CQC will always announce a remote assessment in advance.

What inspectors do on arrival

On arrival, inspectors will typically identify themselves, show their identification, and ask to speak with the registered manager or a senior staff member. They will then spend time observing care and interactions, reviewing records and documentation, speaking with service users and their families, and speaking with staff (including, if possible, staff who are not in senior roles).

What inspectors look for

Inspectors are looking for evidence — not assertions. Anyone can say "we are person-centred." What inspectors want to see is care plans that genuinely reflect individual preferences, staff who know the people they support, and evidence that care adapts when people's needs change. They will look at a sample of care records, medicines administration records, incident reports, staff training matrices, and supervision records.

Preparing your team

The best way to prepare for a CQC inspection is to operate consistently to a high standard every day — not to have a different mode of operation when an inspector arrives. That said, ensuring your team knows how to respond to an inspection is valuable: making sure staff can articulate what person-centred care looks like in practice, where key records are kept, and what to do if they witness something concerning.

The inspection simulator

RegisterCQC includes a CQC Inspection Simulator that tests how your service would perform against all 5 Key Questions. It generates realistic inspector questions specific to your service type and provides a mock rating with improvement feedback. It is one of the most powerful preparation tools available to new and existing providers.