CQC and Ofsted news and insights, page 2
CQC and Ofsted compliance, explained
Advice, news and video on regulatory change and best practice for health and social care providers.
Articles, page 2
- Advice
Policies and Procedures for New CQC Providers
Robust CQC policies and procedures form the backbone of a safe, well governed service, and for new providers, developing them properly before registration is one of the most valuable steps they can take. Policies are not simply paperwork produced to satisfy an application checklist. They set out how a service actually operates day to day,
- Advice
CQC Interview Preparation: What Applicants Should Expect
For many applicants, the interview stage is the part of the CQC registration process that causes the most anxiety, yet with proper CQC interview preparation it can become a straightforward opportunity to demonstrate genuine understanding of the role and the service. Both nominated individuals and registered managers are typically required to attend an interview as
- News
Burnham’s Three Point Plan for Social Care: What it Means for Providers and Compliance Teams
On 29 July 2026, Prime Minister Andy Burnham used a speech at a care home to set out a three point plan to overhaul adult social care in England, describing decades of political inaction on the sector as a major dereliction of public duty. For care providers, registered managers and compliance leads, the announcement is
- Advice
Statement of Purpose: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The Statement of Purpose is one of the first documents CQC reviews, and it remains a live, working reference throughout a provider’s registration. Many organisations start from a generic CQC Statement of Purpose template without fully adapting it to their own service, which often creates problems later when the document no longer reflects what the
- News
CQC Sets Out Its Approach to Regulation During Local Government Reorganisation
On 22 July 2026, the Care Quality Commission published an update setting out how its regulatory activity will continue through a period of significant structural change across local government, children’s social care, integrated care boards and NHS England. This is about local authority assessments, not provider inspections It’s worth being precise about what this update
- Advice
Nominated Individual and Registered Manager: Getting the Roles Right
Every provider registering with the Care Quality Commission needs to think carefully about who will fill the role of CQC nominated individual, and how this person will work alongside the registered manager to provide safe, well led leadership. These two roles sit at the heart of CQC’s governance expectations, and confusion about who does what,
- News
Emily Miles Appointed Chief Executive of the CQC
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has confirmed Emily Miles as its new Chief Executive, with the appointment taking effect this autumn. Emily joins CQC from her current role as Director General for Food, Farming and Biosecurity at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). She takes over from Dr Arun Chopra, who has
- News
Right to Work Duties Are Expanding From 1 October 2026: What Care Providers Need to Know
The Home Office has published a draft revised Code of Practice on Preventing Illegal Working, confirmed to come into force on 1 October 2026 alongside Section 48 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025. For care providers who rely on agency staff, subcontracted workers or staffing platforms to fill rotas, this is a
- Advice
CQC Registration: What New Providers Need Before They Apply
For any organisation preparing to deliver a regulated activity for the first time, understanding how to register with CQC is one of the most important steps in setting up a compliant, sustainable service. Providers who invest in proper CQC registration support before they submit their application tend to move through the process with fewer delays,
- News
CQC’s Better Regulation, Better Care Reforms: What’s Changing and When
CQC has spent the first half of 2026 consulting on the biggest change to its assessment approach since the Single Assessment Framework was introduced. The consultation, “Better Regulation, Better Care,” closed on 12 June 2026, and CQC has confirmed it expects to publish final frameworks over the summer, with implementation towards the end of the
- Advice
Case Study: Rapid Pre-Inspection Support Delivers Outstanding Well-Led Outcome
When healthcare providers receive notification that their first CQC inspection may be imminent, it can create significant pressure, particularly for smaller independent services that have limited internal compliance resources. Recently, HLTH Compliance supported a specialist independent healthcare provider that found itself in exactly this position. The Challenge The provider contacted our team after becoming increasingly
- Advice
The Value of an Employee Handbook in Healthcare Settings
In healthcare organisations, your workforce is your most valuable asset. Staff are responsible for delivering safe, consistent, and person-centred care every day. To support them effectively, there must be clarity, structure, and shared understanding at every level of the organisation. One of the most important tools for achieving this is a well-developed employee handbook. Why
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