Guided pathway
The Inspection Improvement Pathway
Seven steps that take you from an honest baseline to a board-ready assurance summary. Tick each step off as you go — signed-in members pick up exactly where they left off on any device.
1. Establish your baseline
About 45 minutes
Complete a full mock inspection so every later decision is driven by evidence rather than instinct.
- Complete a mock inspection across all five key questions
- Record your overall readiness score and note the date
- Flag any question you could not evidence within ten minutes
2. Prioritise the weakest domain
About 30 minutes
Domain-level scoring tells you where to spend effort first. Fix the lowest-scoring key question before broadening out.
- Rank the five key questions by score
- Choose the lowest domain as this cycle's focus
- Write one sentence describing what 'good' would look like there
3. Close the policy gaps
1–2 hours
Localise the governance templates that cover your focus domain, naming responsible people and review dates.
- Download the relevant policy templates
- Insert your service name, responsible person and review cycle
- Log the version and change note so the update is auditable
4. Build the evidence trail
Ongoing, weekly
Policies only count when practice proves them. Attach the audits, minutes and records that demonstrate the change.
- Upload audits, supervision records and meeting minutes against each key question
- Check every item has a date and an owner
- Identify any key question with no evidence attached at all
5. Train against the gaps
1 session per fortnight
Target training at the specific weaknesses your score exposed, and keep the attendance record as evidence.
- Book the webinar closest to your focus domain
- Record attendance in your training matrix
- Capture one practice change per session
6. Re-score and compare
About 45 minutes
Repeat the assessment after 6–8 weeks. Movement between assessments is the evidence that improvement is real.
- Run a second mock inspection
- Compare domain scores against your baseline
- Record what changed and why in your governance minutes
7. Assure the board
About 30 minutes
Convert the cycle into a short assurance summary your board or trustees can sign off — the core of well-led evidence.
- Summarise scores, actions closed and actions outstanding
- Name the owner and date for every open action
- Schedule the next cycle before the meeting closes
Questions along the way?
Our inspection FAQs cover notice periods, the evidence inspectors ask for, staff interviews and how to respond to a draft report.
Read the inspection FAQsQC&A Inspection Readiness scores are independent self-assessment and quality-improvement indicators. They are not official CQC ratings, nor are they endorsed by, affiliated with or produced in partnership with the Care Quality Commission.