Start with the five key questions
CQC’s assessment approach retains the five key questions: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Quality statements describe what good care looks like under those questions. Use them as a structure for understanding your service—not as a promise of a particular rating.
Build evidence from everyday practice
A strong evidence picture is broader than policies. It includes people’s experience, staff and leader experience, partner feedback, observed care, processes and outcomes.
- Recent audits show findings, actions, ownership and follow-up.
- People’s feedback leads to visible changes or a recorded explanation.
- Staff can describe safeguarding, escalation and learning in their own words.
- Care records reflect current needs, preferences, risks and choices.
- Supervisions, team meetings and training records show continuing development.
Prepare your team without scripting them
Staff should understand the service’s priorities, their responsibilities and how to speak honestly about practice. Brief them on how an assessment may work, but avoid rehearsed answers. Authentic examples are more useful than slogans.
- Review the quality statements most relevant to each role.
- Discuss real examples of good practice and recent improvement.
- Check staff know how to raise concerns and find current policies.
- Make space for gaps or uncertainty to be raised safely.
Keep an improvement record
Record the issue identified, evidence considered, action chosen, responsible person, deadline and impact review. Candid improvement activity can demonstrate stronger leadership than an unrealistic claim that nothing ever goes wrong.