CQC Inspection Checklists

Easily perform comprehensive mock inspections, resolve non-compliance before CQC inspections, and gain outstanding ratings.

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CQC Inspection Checklist

This CQC inspection checklist is based on CQC’s updated assessment framework used in evaluating healthcare services. Care providers should use this comprehensive CQC inspection checklist to adequately prepare and make necessary changes before the CQC inspector’s visit. This 165-item CQC inspection checklist is categorized according to the 5 KLOE, and can help health or social care facilities to easily:

  1. Determine if care is safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led
  2. Take/attach photos of non-compliance with Health and Social Care Regulations
  3. Assign corrective actions in real-time
  4. Complete the CQC inspection checklist with a digital signature
  5. Automatically generate and share CQC reports from the moment you complete an inspection
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CQC Inspection Checklist

Published 21 Feb 2024 Article by Jona Tarlengco | 3 min read

What is CQC Inspection?

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection is a regular check to ensure safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led health and social care services across England. The CQC regulates activities in and assigns ratings to hospitals, care homes, and home-care agencies based on the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Failing CQC Inspections may lead to costly fines and litigation, especially when people are harmed or put in danger.

What is a CQC Inspection Checklist?

A CQC inspection checklist is a tool used by assurance, compliance, and quality officers to prepare for announced or unannounced regulatory checks every 6-12 months. Utilizing mobile-ready CQC inspection checklists can help easily identify gaps, improve the quality of care, and increase ratings.

The 5 Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE)

The CQC inspection focuses on identifying non-compliance, cross-checking observations against other evidence such as care plans and training records. CQC inspectors assess health and social care services using the 5 KLOE, deciding where they are appropriate during the 2 to 5-hour CQC inspection. Be ready to address issues concerning the 5 KLOE below:

Safe:

“Are people protected from abuse and avoidable harm?”

Effective:

“Do people’s care, treatment, and support achieve good outcomes; promote a good quality of life; and is based on the best available evidence?”

Caring:

“Does the service involve and treat people with compassion, kindness, dignity, and respect?”

Responsive:

“Do services meet people’s needs?”

Well-led:

“Do the leadership, management, and governance of the organization assure the delivery of high-quality and person-centered care, support learning and innovation, and promote an open and fair culture?”

Your Ratings and Next Steps

CQC inspectors give a rating for each KLOE of a health and social care facility and an overall rating for specific services. The CQC report details why and how they carried out the inspection, their findings from the inspection, and their judgments. It also describes good practices, concerns, and recommendations to help care providers take action on poor services and improve their ratings.

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CQC enforcement policy, the care provider can appeal or make written representations about any enforcement action. However, they must provide evidence that the health and social service meets regulations during follow-up inspections within 6 months.

Care Quality Commission Inspection Checklist App

Successfully harnessing new technology improves outcomes for both the care facility and its customers. SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor), the world’s most powerful inspection software, can help care providers prepare for CQC inspections by performing on-the-spot mock inspections, identifying gaps in health and social care services, and improving the quality of care. With the SafetyCulture mobile app, you can:

Download Free & Customizable CQC Inspection Checklists

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CQC Compliance Checklist

This CQC compliance checklist is built according to the Provider Compliance Assessment by the Care Quality Commission. Use this checklist to easily determine the compliance of a health or social care service to fundamental CQC standards such as Outcome 2 (Regulation 18): Consent to Care and Treatment, Outcome 12 (Regulation 21): Requirements Relating to Workers, and 14 other outcomes.

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CQC Inspection Template

This customizable CQC inspection template enables health or social care facilities to easily determine their compliance to any of the 16 key essential standards. Simply select the outcome(s) to be inspected and indicate the evidence for compliance such as observation of staff and service users, documentation, and/or speaking to staff, service users, family members, and carers.

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CQC Assessment - Medicine Management Quality

This CQC assessment aims to evaluate the medicine management quality of a health or social care facility before CQC inspections. Use this CQC assessment to determine compliance to Outcome 9 (Regulation 13) and efficiently inspect clinic rooms, medicine waste bins, and controlled drugs. General questions concerning stock receipts, gas cylinders, and trained staff are also included in this CQC assessment.

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CQC Checklist - Cleanliness and Infection Control

This CQC checklist is used to ensure proper cleanliness and infection control in all areas of the hospital or care home prior to CQC inspections. Easily determine compliance to Outcome 8 (Regulation 12), improve the overall cleanliness and infection control of the health or social care facility, and assign corrective actions to members of the organisation with this CQC checklist.

Jona Tarlengco

Article by SafetyCulture Content Specialist

Jona Tarlengco is a content writer and researcher for SafetyCulture since 2018. She usually writes about safety and quality topics, contributing to the creation of well-researched articles. Her years of experience in one of the world’s leading business news organisations helps enrich the quality of the information in her work.

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CQC Compliance Checklist

This CQC compliance checklist is built according to the Provider Compliance Assessment by the Care Quality Commission. Use this checklist to easily determine the compliance of a health or social care service to fundamental CQC standards such as Outcome 2 (Regulation 18): Consent to Care and Treatment, Outcome 12 (Regulation 21): Requirements Relating to Workers, and 14 other outcomes.

CQC Inspection Template

This customizable CQC inspection template enables health or social care facilities to easily determine their compliance to any of the 16 key essential standards. Simply select the outcome(s) to be inspected and indicate the evidence for compliance such as observation of staff and service users, documentation, and/or speaking to staff, service users, family members, and carers.

CQC Assessment - Medicine Management Quality

This CQC assessment aims to evaluate the medicine management quality of a health or social care facility before CQC inspections. Use this CQC assessment to determine compliance to Outcome 9 (Regulation 13) and efficiently inspect clinic rooms, medicine waste bins, and controlled drugs. General questions concerning stock receipts, gas cylinders, and trained staff are also included in this CQC assessment.

CQC Checklist - Cleanliness and Infection Control

This CQC checklist is used to ensure proper cleanliness and infection control in all areas of the hospital or care home prior to CQC inspections. Easily determine compliance to Outcome 8 (Regulation 12), improve the overall cleanliness and infection control of the health or social care facility, and assign corrective actions to members of the organisation with this CQC checklist.