The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care services in England. They inspect services to check whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. Inspections can be announced or unannounced, and the results are published as a public report with an overall rating.
The CQC determines inspection frequency based on risk and previous ratings. New services typically receive their first inspection within the first year of registration. After that, the frequency depends on the rating and any concerns raised. We publish all our reports on our website so families and commissioners can review them at any time.
The CQC rates services as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate. ‘Good’ means the service is performing well and meeting expectations. ‘Outstanding’ means exceptional, high-quality care. ‘Requires Improvement’ means some areas need to be better. ‘Inadequate’ means serious failings have been identified. We strive to meet or exceed ‘Good’ across all five key areas.