CQC Person-Centred Care: What Regulation 9 and the Quality Statement Require, with Examples and How to Evidence It (2026)
What person-centred care means, what CQC’s Regulation 9 and quality statement actually say, what inspectors look for in a care home or home care service, and the records that prove it.
Person-centred care is care and treatment that is appropriate, meets a person’s needs and reflects their preferences, planned with them rather than for them. In England it is a legal requirement under Regulation 9 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, and one of CQC’s fundamental standards. CQC’s “person-centred care” quality statement, under the Responsive key question, expects providers to make sure people are at the centre of their care and treatment choices and to decide, in partnership with them, how to respond to changes in their needs.
“Person-centred” appears in every care policy, but inspectors test it against evidence, not slogans. This guide is for registered managers, deputies and care leaders in care homes and home care. It uses CQC’s own wording from Regulation 9 and the person-centred care quality statement, and flags where a point is our suggestion. For the document at the centre of it, see what a care plan is and the free care plan template.
Key takeaways
- Regulation 9 says care and treatment must be appropriate, meet needs and reflect preferences, based on an assessment carried out collaboratively with the person.
- The quality statement: “We make sure people are at the centre of their care and treatment choices and we decide, in partnership with them, how to respond to any relevant changes in their needs.”
- Care plans should fully reflect physical, mental, emotional and social needs, including protected characteristics, and people and those close to them should regularly help plan and decide.
- When a preference cannot be met, you must explain why and explore alternatives. Where the person lacks capacity, follow the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
- CQC publishes no numbered list of principles. Inspectors look at records, observation and what people and staff say.
In this guide
- What person-centred care means
- The CQC quality statement and what it means
- What Regulation 9 requires you to do
- Principles of person-centred care
- Examples in a care home and in home care
- What inspectors look for and the evidence to keep
- Is your care plan person-centred? A quick test
- Common failures
- Frequently asked questions
What person-centred care means
CQC’s fundamental standards describe it as care or treatment tailored to the person that meets their needs and preferences. Regulation 9 puts it in law: the care and treatment of service users must be appropriate, meet their needs and reflect their preferences. CQC’s guidance says providers must do everything reasonably practicable to make sure people receive it, whatever those preferences might be. The person, or someone lawfully acting for them, must be involved in planning, managing and reviewing their care.
The limit is consent: Regulation 9 does not apply to the extent that delivering care would breach Regulation 11, so care must not be given against the consent of the person (see consent in care).
The CQC quality statement and what it means
Under the Responsive key question, CQC’s person-centred care quality statement reads: “We make sure people are at the centre of their care and treatment choices and we decide, in partnership with them, how to respond to any relevant changes in their needs.” CQC says this means:
- People’s care plans fully reflect their physical, mental, emotional and social needs, including those related to protected characteristics under the Equality Act.
- People and those close to them (including carers and dependants) are regularly involved in planning and making shared decisions about their care and treatment.
- People understand their condition, care and treatment options (including risks and benefits) and any advice given.
- People receive the most appropriate care for them because the service makes reasonable adjustments where necessary.
The “I statements” CQC attaches to it include: “I have care and support that is co-ordinated, and everyone works well together and with me”, “I am in control of planning my care and support”, “I am supported to plan ahead for important changes in my life that I can anticipate” and “I know how to access my health and care records and decide which personal information can be shared”. CQC says the subtopics are care planning, needs and preferences, and empowerment and decision making. It lists Regulation 9 as the related regulation and points to Regulations 10, 11, 12 and 14 to consider alongside it. See the five key questions and the 34 quality statements.
What Regulation 9 requires you to do
Regulation 9(3) lists what providers must do to comply. In plain English, with CQC’s guidance:
| Duty (Reg 9(3)) | In practice, per CQC guidance |
|---|---|
| Assess needs and preferences collaboratively | Involve the person as much or as little as they wish; cover health, personal care, emotional, social, cultural, religious and spiritual needs; review regularly and on transfer, respite, readmission or discharge |
| Design care to achieve preferences and meet needs | A clear plan with agreed goals available to all staff, ways to maintain independence and an agreed review date; if a preference cannot be met, explain why and explore alternatives |
| Help people understand choices and risks | Give information in a way they understand and have a competent person discuss risks and benefits |
| Support decisions to the maximum extent possible | Make every reasonable effort to involve people, including taking steps to maximise their capacity to make their own choices, and keep a record of decisions |
| Give opportunities to manage their own care | For example managing their own medicines, personal care or using equipment, with suitable support |
| Involve people in how the service is run | Seek views on how care meets needs and show you acted on feedback |
| Provide the information people need | Condition, options, risks and benefits, implications of declining, costs and expected outcomes |
| Make reasonable adjustments | So people can receive care and treatment |
| Meet nutrition and hydration needs with wellbeing in mind | Choice of food and drink that meets needs and preferences as far as reasonably practical |
Principles of person-centred care
CQC does not publish a numbered list, so questions about “the 7 principles”, “the 4 Cs” or “5 core values” come from other frameworks, and the lists differ. The ideas they share are consistent with Regulation 9:
| Principle | What it looks like day to day |
|---|---|
| Dignity, respect and compassion | Treating the person as an individual and in the way they prefer to be addressed |
| Choice and control | Routines, food, activities and care reflect what the person wants wherever possible |
| Personalised assessment | Needs and preferences assessed with the person, including cultural, religious and spiritual needs |
| Involvement | The person and people who matter to them help plan and review care |
| Coordination | Staff, services and family work together, not in silos |
| Review | Plans change when the person’s needs, goals or health change |
Use whichever framework your service adopts in training, but evidence against CQC’s regulation and quality statement.
Examples in a care home and in home care
| Setting | Task-centred | Person-centred |
|---|---|---|
| Care home | Everyone is up and washed by 9am because that is the rota | A lifelong early riser is helped up when they wake; a night owl is not woken for convenience |
| Care home | Activities board is the same for everyone | A person’s life story is used to choose activities and start conversations |
| Care home | Meals served at set times from one menu | Choice at each meal, preferences recorded, faith and cultural needs about food met |
| Home care | Visit times fixed by the agency’s round | Times reflect when the person wants help and the same carers visit where possible |
| Home care | Care plan copied from the assessment template | Plan is in the person’s own words with their goals, reviewed with them and their family |
| Both | Family told after a decision is made | The person and family are involved in the decision and the record shows it |
What inspectors look for and the evidence to keep
Inspectors combine records, observation and conversations, so one sample file rarely tells the whole story. Evidence that answers the quality statement:
| Inspectors ask | Evidence that answers it |
|---|---|
| Does the plan reflect this person’s needs and preferences? | Care plan in the person’s words, preferences, life story, goals, cultural and spiritual needs, protected characteristics considered |
| Was the person involved? | Dated records of conversations, signatures or notes of who was consulted, advocates and family involved where appropriate |
| Is the plan current? | Review dates, triggered reviews after falls, admissions, health changes or discharge |
| Do staff know the person? | Staff describe what matters to the person, communication needs and routines |
| What happens when needs and preferences conflict? | Record of explanation, alternatives offered, risk discussion and Mental Capacity Act steps where capacity is lacking |
| Do you act on feedback? | Feedback log, resident and relative meetings, changes made as a result |
| Do audits check this? | Care plan audits that compare records with what you observe and an action log |
Audits matter here: a template-heavy plan that looks complete on paper but does not match what staff do is a classic finding. See how to carry out a care home audit and Regulation 17.
Is your care plan person-centred? A quick test
- Could a new carer read it and know how this person likes to be supported, in their own words?
- Does it record goals and what the person can do for themselves, not just tasks staff do?
- Does it show who was involved and when it was last reviewed with the person?
- Does it cover emotional, social, cultural and spiritual needs as well as physical care?
- Where the person lacks capacity for a decision, is there a decision-specific assessment and best interests record (MCA in practice)?
- Does it include communication needs and reasonable adjustments?
Common failures
- Copy-and-paste plans with generic wording across residents.
- Preferences recorded at admission and never reviewed.
- Choices offered in theory but staffing or routine makes them impossible, with no explanation to the person.
- Family consulted but not the person themselves.
- No evidence of action taken on feedback.
CQC cannot prosecute for a breach of Regulation 9 but can take regulatory action, and CQC must refuse registration if a provider cannot satisfy it that they will comply.
Keep person-centred evidence in one place
CQCLogic keeps audit results, action plans and review dates together so you can show that care plan findings were acted on. It does not write care plans. See a sample improvement plan, view pricing or get started free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is person-centred care?
Care that is tailored to the individual, based on a collaborative assessment of their needs and preferences and planned with them. In England it is a legal requirement for registered providers under Regulation 9.
What does CQC say about person-centred care?
Regulation 9 requires that care and treatment be appropriate, meet needs and reflect preferences. The quality statement says “We make sure people are at the centre of their care and treatment choices and we decide, in partnership with them, how to respond to any relevant changes in their needs.”
What are the principles of person-centred care?
CQC does not publish a numbered list. Commonly taught principles include dignity and respect, choice and control, personalised assessment, involvement and regular review. Evidence against Regulation 9 and the quality statement.
What are the 4 Cs or 7 principles of person-centred care?
These come from other frameworks, and lists vary. CQC does not use a numbered set, so inspectors will not mark you against a 4 Cs or 7 principles list. They assess against Regulation 9 and the quality statement.
What is an example of person-centred care?
Helping someone up when they wake rather than by the rota, using their life story to choose activities, or arranging home care visits at times that suit them with familiar carers.
What is a person-centred care plan?
A plan written with the person that records their needs, preferences and goals and how staff will support them, with an agreed review date. CQC guidance says a clear plan with agreed goals should be available to all staff.
What if a person’s preferences cannot be met?
CQC says providers must explain why, show how they considered the impact and explore alternatives so the person can make informed decisions. Where the person lacks capacity, follow the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
How often should person-centred assessments be reviewed?
CQC says regularly and whenever needed, including when people transfer between services, use respite or are readmitted or discharged. It sets no fixed interval, so agree review dates in the plan.
Which regulation covers person-centred care?
Regulation 9. CQC also says to consider Regulation 10 (dignity and respect), Regulation 11 (consent), Regulation 12 (safe care and treatment) and Regulation 14 (nutrition and hydration) alongside it.