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Dr Richard Dune
30-06-2023
What are the five key questions asked by the CQC?
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CQC inspections uncovered: The five essential questions for quality care
Every year, thousands of health and social care providers in England undergo inspections from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator for these services. But what does the CQC look for? The answer is surprisingly simple: it all boils down to five key questions.
In this blog, Dr Richard Dune takes a deeper dive into these criteria and explains how they form the backbone of the CQC's assessment framework.
CQC inspections explained – Understanding the five key questions
Understanding how the Care Quality Commission (CQC) evaluates health and social care services is essential for providers striving to meet regulatory standards. The CQC’s inspection framework revolves around five key questions, assessing whether a service is safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. These fundamental areas help determine the overall quality of care provided and ensure continuous improvements in service delivery.
CQC inspectors ask the following five key questions:
- Is the service safe?
- Is the service effective?
- Is the service caring?
- Is the service responsive?
- Is the service well-led?
Implementation and rating
Now that we understand the five key questions let's delve into how the CQC uses them during inspections.
The CQC uses a combination of data, information from providers, and feedback from service users and the public to help them decide when, where, and what to inspect. Once on-site, inspectors use these five key questions to structure their investigation. They speak with service users, staff, and managers and observe care to gather evidence against each key question.
Once the evidence has been collected, each question is rated on a four-point scale:
- Outstanding
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Inadequate.
The ratings for each of the five key questions contribute to an overall rating for the service. This rating is then published alongside a detailed report, providing a comprehensive picture of what the service does well and where it needs to improve.
Conclusion
The CQC’s five key questions provide a comprehensive framework that captures the essence of what high-quality care should look like. By understanding these five key areas, health and social care services can ensure they are delivering the highest possible standard of care and that their staff and managers are prepared for their next CQC inspection.
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Ensuring a safe and compliant care environment starts with understanding key health and safety terminology. By focusing on critical compliance areas, organisations can strengthen employee safety, meet regulatory requirements, and align with the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) five key questions.
Our CPD-accredited eLearning courses offer flexible, high-quality training solutions tailored for health and social care professionals. With ComplyPlus™, organisations can track training progress, stay ahead of industry regulations, and demonstrate a commitment to safe, effective, and well-led care - key aspects assessed by the CQC.
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Last updated on 11-2-2025
About the author
Dr Richard Dune
With over 25 years of experience, Dr Richard Dune has a rich background in the NHS, the private sector, academia, and research settings. His forte lies in clinical R&D, advancing healthcare tech, workforce development, and governance. His leadership ensures that regulatory compliance and innovation align seamlessly.
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