How Often is a CQC Inspection?

Understanding the changes in how the Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducts inspections is important for anyone involved in the healthcare sector. Whether you run a private clinic, are a practising doctor, or are an international entrepreneur setting up healthcare services in the UK, keeping up-to-date with these shifts can help you stay prepared and compliant.

The CQC has recently updated its approach to inspections, moving towards a more flexible and responsive system. This blog post will explain what these changes mean for you, how inspections are now timed, and why the CQC has made these adjustments.

If you need assistance with the CQC inspection process, DKJ Support Services offers personalised support tailored to your needs. Whether you’re in private practice, managing a clinic, or starting a healthcare service in the UK, we can help you ensure that your CQC registration is handled smoothly and efficiently.

If you’re interested in this, you may also want to read about whether you can request a CQC inspection. Now, let’s go into the details of CQC inspection frequency and what providers need to know.

What has changed in the CQC Inspection frequency?

There are five ways in which the CQC inspection frequency has changed in 2024. These are as follows;

1. Continuous Evidence Gathering

The latest guidance from the CQC states that:

“We’ll gather evidence to support our judgements in a variety of ways and at different times – not just through on-site inspections. This means inspections will support this activity, rather than being our primary way to collect evidence.” 

What does this mean in practice?

 In the past, the CQC (Care Quality Commission) relied heavily on scheduled on-site inspections as the primary way to evaluate the quality of care provided by services. Inspections were seen as the key moment when all evidence was gathered and assessed. However, with the new approach, this has changed significantly.

Now, the CQC is collecting evidence continuously, from a variety of sources, not just during those big, scheduled inspections. This means they are always monitoring, gathering information at different times, and in different ways. For example, they might look at data from national surveys, feedback from service users, or even online reviews. Inspections are still important, but they are now just one part of the bigger picture.

This change is designed to give a more up-to-date and accurate view of a service’s quality. By not waiting for the next scheduled inspection, the CQC can react more quickly to any issues that arise, ensuring that the services people rely on are safe and effective at all times.

2. Triggered Assessments

“We will no longer use the rating of a service as the main driver when deciding when we next need to assess. Evidence we collect or information we receive at any time can trigger an assessment.” 

What does this mean in practice?

Previously, the timing of the next CQC inspection was largely determined by the service’s last rating. For instance, if a care home received a ‘Good’ rating, the CQC might not inspect it again for a few years. But now, this has changed.

The CQC has moved away from this predictable pattern. Instead of relying on past ratings, they are now ready to conduct an assessment whenever new evidence or information suggests it might be necessary. For example, if they receive a complaint, spot a trend in feedback, or notice a drop in performance data, they can step in quickly to investigate.

This approach allows the CQC to be much more responsive. If a service’s quality starts to decline, they can catch it sooner rather than later. It’s a shift towards a more proactive style of regulation, where the goal is to prevent problems before they escalate.

3. Planned vs. Responsive Inspections

“Our assessments may be responsive (in response to information of concern) or planned. In both cases, we will be flexible and may expand the scope of an assessment if we need to.” 

What does this mean in practice?

The CQC now distinguishes between two types of inspections: planned and responsive. Planned inspections are the ones that happen as part of routine checks, ensuring services are maintaining their standards over time. These are still important, but what’s new is the emphasis on responsive inspections.

Responsive inspections are triggered by specific concerns or new information that suggests there might be a problem. If, for instance, a serious complaint is made or there’s a sudden drop in a service’s quality, the CQC can quickly respond with an inspection to see what’s going on.

This flexibility is key. It means the CQC can adapt to situations as they arise, expanding the scope of an inspection if necessary to get a full understanding of the issue. Again, it’s a shift towards a more dynamic way of working, where the focus is on addressing issues as soon as they are detected, rather than waiting for the next scheduled check-up.

4. No Fixed Inspection Interval

Quote: “The frequency of assessments will depend on the information we receive and the evidence we collect.”
“Your next assessment will be either planned or responsive (where we’ve received concerning information).”
“Our approach will be informed by risk, and we will decide the order of our planned assessments of providers based on the level of risk.”

Discussion: The CQC’s new approach clearly indicates that the timing of inspections is no longer based on a fixed interval, but rather on the evidence they gather and the level of risk associated with each service. This marks a significant departure from the old system where inspections were scheduled based on previous ratings.

Instead, services can expect their next assessment to be either planned, as part of a routine schedule, or responsive, triggered by specific concerns or new information that raises potential issues. The CQC is moving towards a more flexible system that allows them to focus on higher-risk services and those where evidence suggests a need for closer scrutiny.

The frequency of these assessments will continue to evolve as the CQC gathers more data from its new framework. They plan to regularly review and adjust the assessment schedule based on what they learn during the first six months of implementation, the overall regulatory risks, and broader issues affecting the health and care systems. By summer 2024, the CQC intends to publish a more detailed schedule for these planned assessments.

This approach highlights the CQC’s commitment to a more dynamic and responsive regulatory process, ensuring that the frequency of inspections is tailored to the specific risks and needs of different services, rather than applying a uniform timetable across the board.

5. Changes Regarding Different Service Types and Inspection Timing

“We will regularly review how well the new single assessment framework is working. We will use feedback from providers about their experiences of their assessment to decide new frequencies of assessment for each sector…”
“Our approach will be informed by risk, and we will decide the order of our planned assessments of providers based on the level of risk.”

What does this mean in practice?

The CQC’s new assessment framework introduces a more nuanced approach to inspection timing that varies depending on the type of service and the associated risks. The frequency of assessments will not be uniform across all services; instead, it will be determined by the specific risks and circumstances related to each service type.

For higher-risk services, or those where issues have been flagged, the CQC may conduct more frequent inspections. Lower-risk services may have longer intervals between assessments, provided ongoing monitoring does not indicate emerging problems.

Additionally, the CQC will review the effectiveness of this framework regularly and adjust the frequency of inspections based on what they learn during the first six months, feedback from providers, and the broader regulatory landscape. The CQC original documents stated that by summer 2024 there would be a more detailed schedule informed by these ongoing reviews, however, these have not yet materialised. 

Conclusion

The Care Quality Commission’s new approach to inspections represents a significant shift towards a more flexible, responsive, and risk-based system. By moving away from fixed inspection intervals and focusing on continuous evidence gathering, the CQC is better equipped to monitor the quality of care services in real-time, ensuring that assessments are conducted when they are most needed.

This change means that services can no longer rely on predictable inspection schedules based on past ratings. Instead, providers must maintain consistent standards, knowing that inspections could be triggered by emerging risks or new information at any time. The introduction of planned and responsive inspections, tailored to the specific risks associated with each type of service, further enhances the CQC’s ability to safeguard the health and care sector.

As the CQC continues to refine this framework, service providers should remain vigilant and proactive, ensuring they are always prepared for an assessment. For those navigating these changes, especially private clinics, doctors, and international entrepreneurs establishing healthcare services in the UK, tailored support is available. DKJ Support Services offers expert assistance to help you meet CQC requirements and maintain compliance in this evolving regulatory landscape.

By understanding and adapting to these new processes, providers can not only ensure they meet the necessary standards but also contribute to the ongoing improvement of care quality across the country.

Resources

1. Guidance and Regulation Care Quality Commission https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-regulation
2. How often we assess – Care Quality Commission https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-regulation/providers/assessment/assessing-quality-and-performance/how-often-we-assess
3. Assessment – Care Quality Commission https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-regulation/providers/assessment

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