CQC Mock Inspection

2. Quality Statements
These statements define what high-quality, person-centred care looks like. Inspectors judge each area against these statements.

3. Evidence Categories
Inspectors gather evidence from six categories:

• People’s experience
• Feedback from staff & partners
• Processes
• Outcomes
• Observations
• Environmental evidence

   

4. Triangulation Method
Inspectors cross-check evidence from multiple sources to confirm compliance or identify risk.
Example: A policy alone is not enough — inspectors must see evidence in records, staff behaviour, outcomes, and leadership oversight.

5. Regulatory Judgements & Scoring
Inspectors rate each quality statement using a structured scoring model.
Weak evidence → Lower rating
Strong triangulated evidence → Higher rating

How We Conduct Our Mock Inspections (Full SAF Replication)
Our mock inspections mirror the CQC inspection process end-to-end, ensuring you are fully prepared.
1. SAF-Aligned Planning Meeting
We define:

• Service type
• Risk areas
• Premises layout
• Governance maturity
• Inspection scope

We determine which SAF quality statements apply to your regulated activities.

2. Documentation & Governance Review
We review:

• Policies
• Risk register
• Care plans
• Training records
• Audits
• Incident logs
• Complaints
• Medication records
• Governance minutes
• Evidence portfolios

This replicates the CQC off-site evidence review stage.

3. On-Site SAF Inspection Simulation Using the SAF evidence categories, we conduct a structured inspection:
People’s Experience
We interview individuals who use the service (where appropriate) and review compliments, complaints, and involvement processes.
Staff Interviews & Culture Diagnostics
We speak with:

• Registered Manager
• Nominated Individual
• Senior leaders
• Frontline care staff
• Clinical staff (if applicable)

We assess culture, competency, supervision quality, and understanding of duty-of-candour and safeguarding.

Observation & Practice Review
We observe:

• Care delivery
• Infection control practices
• Staff conduct
• Premises safety
• Medication storage and process
• Incident response

Environment Check
We assess:

• Layout & safety
• Infection prevention
• Medical equipment
• Storage
• Fire safety
• Clinical and non-clinical areas

Record Sampling & Audit Review
We review:

• Care records
• MAR sheets
• HR files
• Complaints logs
• Audit results
• Performance reports

4. SAF Quality Statement Scoring
We score each quality statement exactly as the CQC does.
Example:
Safe – “Learning, improving and innovating”

• Score 4 (Outstanding)
• Score 3 (Good)
• Score 2 (Requires Improvement)
• Score 1 (Inadequate)

You get clear, honest scores with evidence-based justification.

5. Regulatory Risk Assessment
We assign a risk-level to each area:

• Critical risk – immediate improvement required
• High risk – likely to result in breach
• Medium risk – requires remedial action
• Low risk – compliant but needs monitoring
• Excellent – promotes strong CQC outcomes

6. Full Inspection Report (CQC Style)
Your report includes:

• Findings for each Key Question
• SAF quality statement scoring
• Evidence references
• Risk matrix
• Governance gaps
• Workforce gaps
• Documentation issues
• Interview feedback
• Observation findings

This mirrors the format of a CQC post-inspection report.

7. Corrective Action Plan
You receive a structured action plan prioritised by:

• SAF quality statement
• Risk level
• Time sensitivity
• Responsible person
• Regulatory relevance

We outline required actions, templates needed, evidence gaps, and governance upgrades.