Watchdog sets out more information on how it plans to prioritise inspection visits as part of its drive to ramp up inspection rates
The Care Quality Commission has set out plans to introduce a new inspection approach for adult social care services rated good, as part of its drive to hit its 9,000 report target across the sectors it regulates by September.
In an update published this week, the regulator said it has developed Return to Good, a targeted assessment model for 'services where data and intelligence suggest the existing good rating is likely to have been maintained'.
The watchdog said the approach has been developed in collaboration with providers, the public and CQC staff, and is intended to increase regulatory contact without placing unnecessary burden on well‑run services.
The move sits alongside CQC’s broader programme to prioritise services with urgent or emerging risks as well as services that have not been assessed since registration, those registered for more than a year without an inspection, and services with ratings more than six years old.
'Return to Good' is set to launch from next month, running alongside CQC’s usual inspection activity and aligned with its existing assessment framework. Following its launch, the regulator said it will continue to shape and refine the approach based on feedback from providers, members of the public and inspection teams.
Under the model, inspectors will place greater emphasis on people’s experiences and outcomes, supported by observation and targeted, risk‑based reviews of records, rather than carrying out a full routine assessment in every case. CQC said this will help it increase the volume of assessments while ensuring people continue to receive safe and effective care.
Only services meeting specific criteria will be eligible for a Return to Good assessment. These include adult social care services that are currently rated good across all five key questions, have a registered manager, hold ratings that are more than six years old, show no significant risk in CQC’s data and have no ongoing enforcement activity.
CQC said the approach will allow it to maintain oversight of services that might otherwise not receive a routine assessment, helping to address concerns about aged ratings across the sector. However, it stressed that the approach remains risk‑based. If concerns arise during inspection planning, CQC will revert to its usual assessment process.
The regulator added it will continue to act quickly where it identifies very high or extreme risk, and stressed that its prioritisation reflects the specific needs and risks across sectors and regions.
