Preparing for a CQC inspection in 2025 means aligning your service with the new Single Assessment Framework and Quality Statements. This guide outlines practical steps to stay CQC compliant – from updating audits and policies to empowering staff, gathering real-time evidence, and demonstrating strong leadership. Whether you run a care home, home care, or supported living service, these tips will help you stay inspection-ready and deliver high-quality care every day.

 

Map Your Internal Audits to the Quality Statements

Because Quality Statements now drive inspection judgments:

1. Get familiar with the full list of Quality Statements relevant to your service type (residential care, home care, supported living, etc.).
2. Align your internal audits, policies, and quality improvement plans with those statements.
3. Use “I” and “We” language where possible — these statements often reflect the perspectives of people using services and providers.
4. Spot gaps early – if a Statement isn’t well evidenced internally, it’s your first area to shore up.

 

Keep Evidence Live, Integrated & Accessible

With continuous assessment and remote evidence gathering:

1. Maintain up-to-date digital records — for example, timeliness of reviews, outcomes, incident follow‑
2. Gather consistent feedback (from people using services, families, staff) and show how you act on it.
3. Document how policies translate into everyday practice (not just that they exist).
4. Keep performance dashboards or simple scorecards for key indicators (safeguarding, staffing, outcomes, complaints).

 

Review & Refresh Policies & Procedures

Policy content still matters – but the focus is now more on how it drives practice:

1. Ensure policies are aligned to relevant regulations and to your mapped Quality Statements.
2. Check that policies are being followed – via audits, spot checks, and supervisory oversight.
3. Make policies user friendly and ensure staff have ready access.

 

Train, Coach & Empower Your Team

Inspectors will expect staff to understand the Quality Statements and the new assessment approach:

1. Run workshops or drop-in sessions explaining what’s new and how their role connects to it.
2. Use case scenarios or role-plays, e.g. “How would you evidence this ‘We statement’ in your daily duties?”
3. Empower staff to raise concerns, suggest improvements, and document learning.

 

Demonstrate Good Leadership & Governance

1. Under the new regime, leadership is even more critical:
2. Show clear strategic direction, values, and commitment to quality across all areas.
3. Use governance loops: audit → learning → action → re-audit.
4. Be ready to explain decisions, risks, and mitigation relating to Quality Statements.
5. Evidence continuous improvement, not just box-ticking.

 

Simulate & Test

Before inspectors arrive:

1. Do mock assessments against Quality Statements. Score them and ask “What evidence would an inspector expect?”
2. Walk through spot checks: pick random files, reviews, feedback logs, etc.
3. Ask a friendly peer or external consultant to audit a section and offer candid feedback.

 

On the Day & After

1. Be transparent. If there are gaps, acknowledge them and show your improvement plan.
2. Ask for clarification around which Quality Statements are under scrutiny.
3. Review the draft factual accuracy report carefully.
4. Use the inspection findings to drive your next quality improvement cycle.

 

Final Thoughts

Preparing for a CQC inspection in 2025 is less about cramming for a moment in time, and more about embedding continuous quality, transparency, and responsive governance. The shift to Quality Statements, more remote evidence use, and professional judgment means your everyday systems, culture, and leadership matter more than ever.