Published: 26 March 2025
We are focusing on work that will enable us to be the strong, effective regulator that people who use and work in health and care services need and deserve. A big part of this is ensuring that we provide up-to-date information about services to the public.
To do this, we are continuing to make changes to how we work to:
- increase the number of assessments we carry out
- clear our backlog of registration applications
- act promptly on information of concern cases and notifications.
So far, we have:
- Implemented a process that has helped us to publish reports of assessments that we've already carried out, which people have been waiting too long for.
- Started to clear our registration backlog so new providers can start delivering services and help more people to access the care they need.
- Started to reduce our backlog of information of concern cases and notifications.
- Engaged with colleagues, providers, people who use services and wider stakeholders to start co-designing a shared understanding of the organisation's purpose, vision, values, and expected behaviour.
What we're doing next
We're focusing on several key areas that people who use services, providers, and other stakeholders have told us matter most:
- More assessments: We will continue to test new approaches to how we assess so we can increase the number of assessments we do.
- Registration improvements: We're tackling applications that are over 10 weeks old and updating our guidance to make the process clearer.
- Clearer assessment approach: We're reviewing our assessment framework, methods and guidance, with plans to consult formally later this year.
- Structural changes: We're appointing permanent chief inspectors across the 4 main health and adult social care sectors that we regulate to provide sector leadership and expertise.
We're also undertaking a comprehensive review of our systems and processes, informed by independent reviews and feedback from all our stakeholders. This includes improving the technology and quality of data that we use, and the way we work with providers and the public.
We will look to gather your thoughts and feedback on what we do, including on ratings characteristics, our provider handbook, our assessment framework and how we work together as part of our CQC Way.
Working together in this way will ensure we create solutions that work for all parts of the health and social care sector and we can build a regulatory approach that supports quality improvement, reflects the realities of delivering care, and helps achieve better outcomes for people using services. Your views and experience are vital to getting this right, and we are committed to making this a genuine partnership that drives positive change across the sector.