HOW TO PREPARE FOR CQC
What is CQC?

They also have the power to take further action to improve or close down services that do not adequately meet the necessary standards.

Before you can carry out any of the activities they regulate, you must register with the CQC and show them you can meet a number of legal requirements.

What services does the CQC regulate?

• Healthcare services providers for people of all ages. This includes a wide variety of services, from GP services, dental practices, ambulance services and community services.
• Those who provide social care services to adults in care homes, in the community and in people’s own homes.
• Providers of services for those whose rights are restricted under the Mental Health Act.
• Health and care services for children or young people.

It’s highly likely that you will need to be CQC registered if you are providing health or social care in England. But there are some rare exceptions to this rule: there are a few services that may be exempt from CQC regulation, such as non-surgical cosmetic treatments. 

Do I need to be CQC registered?

If your service delivers a ‘regulated activity’, from medical treatments and diagnostic procedures to nursing care, you need to be registered with the CQC before providing those services, regardless of whether you’re an individual, partnership or organisation. In England, most providers of health and social care services must register with the Care Quality Commission.

As part of the application, you have to be able to provide evidence that shows you can provide care to government standards.

Once a service is registered with the CQC, it is continuously monitored to ensure it’s providing appropriate care at each of their locations. The information gathered will determine when, where and what they will inspect.

To see if your service requires CQC registration, take a look at the full list of service types.

If you’re still unsure if your service falls under the requirements for CQC regulation, you can phone on 03000 616161, or email enquiries@cqc.org.uk.

Learn more about registering with CQC

When can I expect a CQC inspection?

The CQC will try to inspect your service within the first 12 months of your registration. They don’t always announce an inspection as they’d ideally like to see the regular day-to-day running of your service.

You might, however, receive notice of an inspection if it’s likely to have a negative impact on your patients; if your service opens on different times or days of the week; or where the service is delivered across a large geographical area.

The CQC are no strangers to making improvements to their processes, so it’s important you keep up to date with the latest changes. Its assessment framework was last updated during 2022 and 2023, and now further improvements are planned from 2026 through to 2028. If you are a care provider in England, keep an eye on CQC’s news channel for the latest updates on what’s changing.

Find out what you can expect at your inspection

What happens if I don’t register with the CQC?

The CQC has an enforcement policy, which serves two purposes: to protect people who use regulated services from harm and the risk of harm; and to hold providers and individuals to account for failures in how the service is provided.

If you don’t comply with the CQC’s enforcement policy, or fail to register with the CQC when you’re required to do so, you could face a fixed penalty fine of up to £4,000.

You could also face prosecution for failing to register with the CQC when required. This could be an unlimited fine amount, or even up to 12 months imprisonment.

Dr Jonathan Andrews is a Medical Director and practising doctor working across both the NHS and private healthcare. In addition, Jonathan also leads Govanta Compliance, a CQC consultancy dedicated to demystifying the inspection process and helping practices achieve successful outcomes. He advises start-ups and scale-ups and delivers educational services across a broad range of topics.