CQC & OFSTED COMPLIANCE, PUT INTO PRACTICE

Get registered.
Stay inspection‑ready.
Get through a crisis.

Clinicians, a former CQC Specialist Advisor, a former registered manager and a former Responsible Individual, helping providers register, prepare for inspection and recover from enforcement. Care homes, home care, clinics, GP practices and children's services.

A former CQC Specialist Advisor. A former registered manager.
A former Responsible Individual.

A care professional sharing a reassuring moment with an older woman
WHO WE WORK WITH

Care homes. Home care.
Clinics. Children's homes.

✳
Mock inspections aligned to the
Single Assessment Framework.
COMPLIANCE · GOVERNANCE · PEOPLE
CQC & OFSTED COMPLIANCE SPECIALISTSIndependent. Not affiliated with CQC or Ofsted.↓
CQC

Health & adult social care

Care homes · Home care · Clinics · GP practices · Supported living

Ofsted

Children's services

Children's homes · Supported accommodation (16 to 17) · Fostering

CQC'S FRAMEWORK IS CHANGING

The draft framework, explained in 42 seconds.

CQC is piloting a draft framework for adult social care: the same five key questions, 24 key lines of enquiry in place of today's 34 quality statements, and ratings judged without scores. Today's framework still applies while it is tested.

Explore the CQC framework
Read the video as text

CQC · Adult social care. CQC is changing how it assesses care. What’s in the draft framework, and what it means for you.

Today: the Single Assessment Framework. 34 quality statements across the five key questions: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Each statement assessed is scored 1 to 4, and the scores build up to ratings.

The draft (adult social care v9, 19 March 2026): the five key questions stay. Key lines of enquiry replace the quality statements: 24 of them, Safe 7, Effective 4, Caring 3, Responsive 4 and Well-led 6.

How ratings change: scores are going. Today, a score of 1 to 4 for each quality statement assessed. Ratings will be judged directly at each key question, using structured professional judgement, guided by sector-specific rating characteristics for each level: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate.

Where it stands: draft frameworks published March 2026. Feedback on the drafts closed 12 June 2026. Pilots with providers, June to October 2026. Evaluation planned for November 2026. Still a draft: pilots run alongside today’s inspections. Source: CQC updates of 24 March, 4 June and 27 August 2026.

What we’d do now (HLTH’s view): get ready without guessing. Today’s framework still applies. Learn the 24 draft KLOEs for adult social care. Evidence each key question, not a score.

What does it mean for your service? Ask an HLTH expert. Contains public sector information from the Care Quality Commission, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. HLTH Compliance is not affiliated with or endorsed by CQC.

CLIENT STORY

PRIVATE HOSPITAL · BRISTOL

From a new service
to successful registration.

The challengeGetting a new private hospital ready to open.

Our workApplication support, bespoke policies, governance, HR and operational setup.

Watch the Northwood Hospital video
THE OUTCOME

CQC
registered.

Northwood Hospital
HOME CARE · CQC REGISTRATION

“Their consultants were very knowledgeable about CQC regulations and provided clear, actionable recommendations to support me.”

Sheikh Siddiqui, Eastcare UK
CLINIC · CQC REGISTRATION

“I did get my CQC registration rather smoothly with NO amendments required. Just one submission, one interview and then approved.”

Dr Thomas Foong, Athom Health
CHILDREN'S SERVICES · OFSTED

“Their in-depth knowledge of Ofsted regulations, attention to detail, and proactive approach made the entire process far more manageable.”

Registered Manager, Briar Dene Childcare
More client stories

01 / CHOOSE YOUR NEXT STEP

Three ways forward.
One team in your corner.

Pick the situation you are in. See what the support includes,
then shape the scope around your service.

01 / REGISTRATION SUPPORT

From application to registered.

For new CQC locations and Ofsted children's services. Build the application, the policies and the interview answers with people who have sat on the other side of the table.

SUPPORT CAN INCLUDE

  • CQC application and supporting documents for home care, care homes and clinics
  • Ofsted registration: Statement of Purpose, policies and fit-person interview preparation
  • Registered manager interview coaching
  • Policies and procedures tailored to your service
WHAT YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS

A submitted application, tailored policies and a registered manager ready for interview.

Scope and fees discussed on the call, before any commitment.

Served a Notice of Proposal? The 28-day clock is already running. Call 020 8090 5346

02 / FROM FINDINGS TO FOLLOW-THROUGH

Findings are the start.
Fixing them is the job.

Bring the right expertise to the right problem.
Build a practical route from review to improvement.

01

Understand your service

Start with your setting, priorities and current challenges. Identify the support your team needs.

02

Make the next steps clear

Use audits and specialist reviews to identify gaps and turn findings into a prioritised action plan.

03

Put improvement into practice

Bring in the right clinical, operational, HR or governance support to help your team act.

04

Review, evidence, improve

Use ongoing assurance to review progress and strengthen the evidence behind your service.

From finding to actionHOW A FINDING IS WRITTEN UP

Make every priority
someone's next step.

REVIEW FINDING

Training records need a clearer audit trail.

Action
Reconcile the training matrix with completion records.
Owner
Registered manager
Evidence
Updated matrix and supporting certificates
Review
Check completion and agree any remaining actions

Every finding in your plan gets an action, an owner, the evidence needed and a review date.

03 / REAL PEOPLE. DEEP EXPERIENCE.

Your sector.
Your kind of specialist.

Meet the wider HLTH team
Adam Duncan, Managing DirectorClinical leadership

Adam Duncan

Managing Director

Former CQC Specialist Advisor. Former Director of Quality and Governance.
Kath Cox, Head of Adult Social CareAdult social care

Kath Cox

Head of Adult Social Care

Former Registered Manager across home care, residential and complex care.
Shanaz Ali, Ofsted Relationship ManagerChildren's services

Shanaz Ali

Ofsted Relationship Manager

Former Responsible Individual for multiple providers. 15 years in social care, the last 8 in Ofsted-regulated services.
Dr Atif Ghaffar, Medical DirectorMedical expertise

Dr Atif Ghaffar

Medical Director

GP Principal for 16 years.

04 / EXPERTISE WITH THE TOOLS TO ACT

Your people need answers.
Your leaders need evidence.

HLTH Manage is the software behind the daily work
of CQC compliance, built by the same team.

HLTH Manage

Keep the evidence
close to the work.

  • Evidence mapped to the Single Assessment FrameworkUpload and organise the documents that show adherence, in the structure CQC uses.
  • A policy dashboard your team can actually useAccess, review and manage your suite of bespoke policies and procedures in one place.
  • Training matrix and staff recordsTrack staff training and progress, and keep HR records alongside the evidence.
See HLTH Manage in action

For CQC-regulated providers. Software and consultancy can be scoped together.

HLTH Manage policy library: policies tagged to the CQC key questions Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led, beside the CQC Framework menu.
HLTH Manage: policies tagged to the five key questions
FOR GROUPS, BOARDS AND NOMINATED INDIVIDUALS

One view of risk across every site.

Board assurance, integrated governance and risk oversight for multi-site providers.

A CLEAR NEXT STEP, BEFORE A BIG COMMITMENT

What's on your mind?
Let's make a plan.

Use a 15-minute introductory call to explain your situation,
explore the right support and discuss the next step.

Book a 15-minute call Urgent? Call 020 8090 5346