How to Pass a CQC Inspection: Preparation Checklist for Care Homes and Home Care
CQC does not pass or fail services. It rates them. This guide shows what a Good rating needs, gives a preparation checklist by area for care homes and home care, and explains the inspection day and what happens afterwards.
You cannot pass or fail a CQC inspection. CQC rates each key question and the service overall as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate, and the aim is to be rated Good or better. To be ready, keep current evidence for all five key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led), make sure staff can describe their work honestly, and check your records, audits and environment on a regular schedule, not just when you hear CQC is coming. In CQC’s scoring a key question is Good at 63% to 87% and Outstanding at 88% and above. CQC gathers evidence on and off site and from six categories, so inspectors see what your records say, what people and staff tell them and what they observe. The checklist below turns that into things to check.
This guide is for registered managers, nominated individuals and quality leads in care homes and home care (domiciliary care) agencies in England. Facts about how CQC works come from its published guidance, linked in the sources section. The checklist, timing and tips are our practical advice and we say so where that is the case.
If you are looking for the preparation routine for a specific part of an inspection, see our guides to what evidence CQC inspectors look for, how to prepare staff, the inspection day setup and mock inspection questions.
Key takeaways
- There is no pass or fail. CQC rates services Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate.
- A key question scores Good at 63% to 87% and Outstanding at 88% and above. Inadequate is 25% to 38% and Requires Improvement 39% to 62%.
- CQC assesses against the five key questions and 34 quality statements, using six categories of evidence gathered on and off site.
- Readiness is a routine, not a sprint: audits, records, supervision and governance meetings kept current all year.
- After the visit you can challenge factual errors in the draft report within 10 working days.
In this guide
- Can you pass or fail a CQC inspection?
- How CQC assesses services now
- CQC inspection preparation checklist by area
- What evidence will inspectors expect to see?
- When to do what: a simple routine (our suggestion)
- What happens on inspection day?
- After the inspection: draft report, rating and challenge
- Why services miss a Good rating
- Sources and how this was checked
- Frequently asked questions
Can you pass or fail a CQC inspection?
No. CQC does not issue a pass or fail. After an assessment it scores each quality statement, converts the scores into key question ratings and aggregates them into an overall rating on a four-point scale. The thresholds in CQC’s “How we reach a rating” guidance are:
| Key question score | Rating |
|---|---|
| 88% and above | Outstanding |
| 63% to 87% | Good |
| 39% to 62% | Requires Improvement |
| 25% to 38% | Inadequate |
So the useful question is not “how do we pass” but “how do we show we are Good on each key question”. A rating below Good is not a failure notice, but Requires Improvement and Inadequate bring consequences. See our guides to Requires Improvement, Inadequate ratings and what happens if an inspection goes badly.
How CQC assesses services now
CQC’s assessment framework keeps the five key questions and the four-point ratings scale and assesses against quality statements, which replaced the old key lines of enquiry. There are 34 quality statements across the five key questions (see our quality statements list). CQC gathers evidence on site and off site, grouped into six evidence categories, and assessments may be planned or in response to information of concern. Adult social care providers are also asked to complete an annual provider information return (see our PIR guide) (CQC: Assessing quality and performance).
Before a visit CQC draws on comments received from the public, local Healthwatch and other organisations, concerns raised by staff, and information from the provider (CQC: Planning assessments). The practical consequence is that the picture CQC holds is built between inspections as well as during them, so preparation has to be continuous.
CQC inspection preparation checklist by area
Use this table as a monthly self-check. “Current” means reviewed, dated and acted on, not just present. Evidence is a mix of records, what staff and people say and what an inspector can observe.
| Area | What to check | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| Governance and audits | Audit schedule followed; findings turned into dated actions that get closed; governance meeting minutes; risk register; improvement plan up to date | Audits, Regulation 17 |
| Care records and risk | Care plans reflect current needs and preferences; risk assessments reviewed after changes and incidents; consent and capacity assessments recorded | Care plans, Consent |
| Medicines | MAR charts complete with no unexplained gaps; PRN protocols; storage and temperature checks; medicines audits and actions; errors reported and learned from | MAR charts, After a medication error |
| Safeguarding and incidents | Referrals made and followed up; incident, accident and near miss logs show learning; notifications sent to CQC when required; duty of candour followed | Referrals, Notifications |
| Staffing and recruitment | Safe recruitment files (DBS, references, identity, employment history); rotas match need; turnover and vacancies monitored; fit and proper persons checks | Recruitment files, Staffing levels |
| Training, supervision and competency | Mandatory training current; role-specific training; competency checked, not just attendance; supervision and appraisal up to date | Training matrix, Supervision |
| Infection prevention and control | Policy, audits and action plans; cleaning schedules; PPE; staff practice observed to match the policy | Infection control |
| Environment and equipment | Fire safety, equipment maintenance, premises risk assessments, security, accessibility; business continuity plan | Regulation 15, Fire safety |
| Complaints, feedback and learning | Complaints log with outcomes; feedback from people and families collected, acted on and shared; compliments | Complaints log |
| Registration and display | Rating displayed at the service and on your website; statement of purpose current; registration details correct; registered manager in post | Display rating, Statement of purpose |
For home care, also check visit records and daily notes, call monitoring and spot checks, lone working and emergency arrangements, and skill mix. Our daily, weekly and monthly compliance checklist shows how to schedule these checks.
What evidence will inspectors expect to see?
CQC groups its evidence into six categories: people’s experience, feedback from staff and leaders, feedback from partners, observation, processes and outcomes. For each quality statement it publishes example evidence, and says they are examples and not a checklist. Our guide to what evidence CQC inspectors look for maps every quality statement to the records and observations CQC lists for care homes and home care.
When to do what: a simple routine (our suggestion)
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Daily and weekly | Check records are complete and timely: care notes, MAR charts, incident forms. Review concerns and actions. Walk the service as an inspector would. |
| Monthly | Complete scheduled audits; review the action log; check training, supervision and DBS dates; review complaints and feedback; hold the governance meeting. |
| Quarterly | Run a mock inspection or self-assessment using our self-assessment guide and mock questions; review policies; refresh staff briefings. |
| When CQC contacts you | Respond promptly to any request for information, make sure the right people know, check the display of your rating, and prepare for people, staff and records to be reviewed. CQC can assess without notice, so do not wait for a call. |
| On the day | See our inspection day setup. Keep delivering care as normal, be open about known issues and what you are doing about them, and take notes of any feedback given. |
| After | Check the draft report within 10 working days for factual errors; act on findings straight away; share the outcome with staff. |
What happens on inspection day?
CQC says that for a care home a single inspector and an Expert by Experience is often enough, though team size varies by service type. Inspectors gather evidence by observing care and the environment, speaking to people who use the service, families, carers and staff, and reading records and documents. They compare what they see with what people and staff tell them and with your records.
Practical tips: have a named person to accompany inspectors and a way to find any record quickly; keep care going as normal; do not coach staff; be honest about problems and say what you have done about them; ask for feedback during the visit and write it down. See our guide to preparing staff.
After the inspection: draft report, rating and challenge
- Draft report. You can challenge factual errors and add evidence within 10 working days. See the factual accuracy check.
- Rating published. Display it at the service and on your website within 21 days (Regulation 20A).
- Challenge. If you believe CQC did not follow its process, you may ask for a rating process review within 15 working days.
- Improve. If any key question is below Good, build an action plan with owners and dates. See how to write an improvement plan.
Why services miss a Good rating
The most common root cause is weak governance: audits that are done but not acted on, records that do not match practice, and leaders who are not checking what happens on the floor. Other recurring issues are medicines gaps, out of date risk assessments, staffing and training gaps and incomplete recruitment files. Our guide to what causes an Inadequate rating goes through each, and good to outstanding covers the step up.
Sources and how this was checked
- CQC: Assessing quality and performance (page last updated 2 July 2026).
- CQC: How we reach a rating (page last updated 13 May 2025; scoring from 2 December 2024).
- CQC: Planning assessments (page last updated 8 January 2026).
Read on 23 October 2026. The checklist, routine and tips are our practical advice, not CQC guidance.
Keep readiness work on a schedule
CQCLogic keeps your improvement actions, owners, deadlines and evidence in one task list, so scheduled checks do not slip and you can show what you did and when. It tracks your work; it does not submit anything to CQC. See a sample improvement plan, view pricing or get started free.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pass a CQC inspection?
You cannot pass or fail. CQC rates services. To be rated Good, keep current evidence for all five key questions, check records and audits on a regular schedule, make sure staff can describe their work honestly, and keep the environment safe and clean.
Is there a pass mark for a CQC inspection?
There is no pass mark. A key question scores Good at 63% to 87% and Outstanding at 88% and above, and the overall rating is aggregated from the five key questions.
What should be on a CQC inspection preparation checklist?
Governance and audits, care records and risk assessments, medicines, safeguarding and incidents, staffing and recruitment, training and supervision, infection control, environment and equipment, complaints and feedback, and registration and display of your rating.
How do I prepare for a CQC inspection?
Build a routine: daily and weekly record checks, monthly audits and governance meetings, quarterly mock inspections, regular staff briefings, and a ready plan for the day. Use the checklist above.
How much notice does CQC give before an inspection?
CQC can assess without notice, and may contact providers to request information beforehand. Do not rely on notice. See our guide to how often CQC inspects.
What do CQC inspectors look for?
They assess the five key questions using evidence from people’s experience, staff and leaders, partners, observation, processes and outcomes. See what evidence CQC inspectors look for.
What are the five key questions CQC asks?
Is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Each is rated, and together they form the overall rating.
What are CQC quality statements?
They are the standards CQC assesses against, 34 across the five key questions, which replaced the old key lines of enquiry.
How long does a CQC inspection take?
It varies by service. See our guide to how long CQC inspections take and how often they happen.
What would trigger a CQC inspection?
CQC can assess in response to information of concern such as complaints, safeguarding alerts or whistleblowing, as well as on a planned basis.
How do I prepare staff for a CQC inspection?
Explain that the service is being assessed, teach the key questions in plain language, let staff practise describing their work honestly, check training and supervision, and brief them on practicalities. See our guide to preparing staff.
What happens if I do not get Good?
You get a rating of Requires Improvement or Inadequate with consequences such as an action plan or enforcement. You can challenge factual errors in the draft report and, in narrow cases, request a rating process review.
Can I challenge the inspection report?
You can challenge factual errors in the draft report within 10 working days, and request a rating process review within 15 working days of publication if CQC did not follow its process.
What is a mock CQC inspection?
A practice inspection you run yourself or with an independent person, using the key questions and example questions, to find gaps before CQC does. See our mock inspection questions.