What is the CQC?

What you need to do

Any provider who is providing regulated services as defined by the CQC needs to be registered with the CQC in order to practice and undergo regular inspections. It is your responsibility to:

What are the CQC ratings?

The CQC issues ratings to all health and social care services on a four-point scale. The ratings are:

Outstanding – the service is performing exceptionally well

Good – the service is performing well and meeting our expectations

Requires improvement – the service is not performing as well as it should and we have told the service how it must improve

Inadequate – the service is performing badly and we’ve taken action against the person or organisation that runs it

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What are the CQC looking for?

To award these ratings, inspectors will be asking key questions

Are the services safe?

Patients should be protected from abuse and avoidable harm when using your service.

Are the services effective?

The patients care, treatment and support should achieve good outcomes which helps them to maintain their quality of life and is based on the best available evidence provided during the inspection.

Are the services caring?

Are staff involving the patients and treating them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

Are the services responsive?

The service should be organised in a way that meets the needs of the patient.

Are the services well-led?

The leadership, management and governance of your practice needs to be providing high-quality care based around your patient’s needs. You need to encourage learning and innovation and promote an open and fair culture.

When will I get a CQC inspection?

If you are opening a new service and are registering with the CQC, you won’t be awarded a rating at this stage as there won’t be enough evidence for the CQC to give an accurate rating. They will return to give you your official rating at your next inspection.

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What does CQC mean to patients?

Patients can search for your private general practice on the CQC website where they will be able to view your rating and read the report of your last inspection. You are also able to add your rating to your website as a trust signal for prospective patients. They are also able to provide both positive and negative feedback on the care they have received.

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