Advice from HLTH Compliance, page 3
CQC and Ofsted compliance, explained
Advice, news and video on regulatory change and best practice for health and social care providers.
Advice articles, page 3
- Advice
CQC Confirms Pilot of New Assessment Frameworks Across Summer and Autumn 2026
At the recent Care Quality Commission Framework Roadshow events, CQC representatives confirmed that elements of the proposed new assessment frameworks will be piloted throughout Summer and Autumn 2026. The pilot activity is expected to begin from June 2026 and will include sampling across different provider sectors and service types. CQC advised that: Providers selected for
- Advice
Duty of Candour: Why Transparency in Healthcare Is Under Renewed Scrutiny
Recent enforcement action and high-profile cases have once again brought transparency in healthcare into focus. Across health and social care services, one issue continues to stand out: when something goes wrong, organisations are still not consistently open about it. At the heart of this is the Duty of Candour. Under Regulation 20 of the Health
- Advice
Who Needs To Be CQC Registered?
If you provide health or social care services in England, you may be legally required to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). But whether registration applies depends on one key factor: are you carrying out a regulated activity? What Is CQC Registration? Under the Health and Social Care
- Advice
What Actually Is Good Governance?
Good governance is one of those phrases that gets used constantly in healthcare. It can sound abstract or bureaucratic, when in reality it is deeply practical. At its core, good governance is about how a service is run, how decisions are made, and how leaders ensure safety, quality, and accountability
- Advice
The Five Key CQC Domains Explained: A Guide for Care Providers
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) uses five key domains to inspect and rate health and social care services in England. These domains form the basis of every inspection and help determine the overall quality and safety of care. Here’s a simple breakdown of each one. Safe This looks at whether people are protected from harm,
- Advice
Rising Healthcare Data Breaches and What Compliance Teams Must Do Now
Healthcare organisations globally are facing an unprecedented surge in data breach activity, and it’s no longer a question of if your organisation will be targeted, but when. Protected Health Information remains among the most valuable types of data on the black market, making healthcare one of the most attractive targets for threat actors. Why Healthcare
- Advice
How to Prepare for a CQC Inspection in 2026: A Practical Checklist for Healthcare Providers
For many healthcare providers, a Care Quality Commission inspection is one of the most important moments in the compliance calendar. Whether you operate in primary care, adult social care, children’s services or wider medical services, being inspection-ready is no longer just about having policies in place. It is about being able to evidence how compliance
- Advice
NHS Dentistry – Why Are More Patients Turning to Private Care, and What Does it Mean For Providers?
The reality on the ground Across the UK, access to NHS dentistry is no longer just “challenging”, in many areas, it’s effectively unavailable. Reports of patients queuing for hours simply to register with an NHS dentist are becoming increasingly common. In some regions, patients are calling dozens of practices without success. For many, the only
- Advice
Do I Need a Registered Manager Before Applying for CQC Registration?
A common question for new providers is whether a Registered Manager must be in place before submitting a CQC registration application. In most cases, the answer is yes. The Registered Manager is a central figure within any CQC-regulated service. They are responsible for the day-to-day delivery of care, oversight of staff, and ensuring that the
- Advice
New Data Protection Complaints Rules Are Coming. What Do Health & Social Care Providers Need to Know?
From 19th June 2026, the final provisions of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 will come into force, bringing a significant shift in how organisations must handle complaints about personal data. For health and social care providers, this is not just an administrative update. Given the volume and sensitivity of patient data handled across services
- Advice
What Documents Are Required for a CQC Registration Application?
Preparing the correct documentation is one of the most important parts of the CQC registration process. While there is no single prescribed checklist issued by the regulator, there are clear expectations around the type, structure and quality of information that must support your application. At its core, your documentation must demonstrate that your service is
- Advice
How Do I Register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC)?
Registering with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is a mandatory requirement for any provider delivering regulated health or social care services in England. Whether you are setting up a domiciliary care agency, clinic, GP practice or supported living service, the registration process requires detailed preparation and a clear understanding of regulatory expectations. At a basic
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