Challenging CQC Inspection Reports

After an inspection by CQC, a draft report is prepared and sent to the provider to check the factual accuracy and completeness of the information used to reach judgements and ratings of a service. If a provider does not challenge any inaccuracies, they will be stuck with the rating that CQC deems appropriate. 

Despite challenging a draft inspection report, providers can still sometimes remain unhappy with the outcome of the factual accuracy process and be given a rating that they disagree with. In that situation, a provider can request a review of CQC’s rating decision.

Our Healthcare Team is a dedicated group of lawyers who can provide you with concise, comprehensive and practical advice. Our qualified and experienced solicitors will be happy to assist you.

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Contact our Healthcare team today on 01202 525333 or email healthcare@ellisjones.co.uk.

Find out more

How we work

  • Free initial consultation and legal advice on moving forward
  • Documentation, factual accuracy forms or ratings review requests
  • Assistance and legal guidance on CQC inspections and expected reports
  • Management and communication with CQC throughout the process

How we work

  • Free initial consultation and legal advice on moving forward
  • Documentation, factual accuracy forms or ratings review requests
  • Assistance and legal guidance on CQC inspections and expected reports
  • Management and communication with CQC throughout the process

Why Choose Us?

  • Specialist Healthcare Team with extensive knowledge and experience
  • Concise, comprehensive and practical legal advice
  • A people-first approach with you at our heart
  • Extensive list of cases our team have successfully handled

Why Choose Us?

  • Specialist Healthcare Team with extensive knowledge and experience
  • Concise, comprehensive and practical legal advice
  • A people-first approach with you at our heart
  • Extensive list of cases our team have successfully handled

Why Act Now?

  • There are very tight deadlines for challenging CQC inspection reports
  • The outcome of a CQC inspection report can contribute to the success of your business
  • CQC provide one of the most trusted quality signals for the health and social care sector
  • Decision about your service can be unfair and unjustified

Why Act Now?

  • There are very tight deadlines for challenging CQC inspection reports
  • The outcome of a CQC inspection report can contribute to the success of your business
  • CQC provide one of the most trusted quality signals for the health and social care sector
  • Decision about your service can be unfair and unjustified

Current Position

The Importance of CQC Inspection Reports 

We are all living longer and over a quarter of our population are now aged over 65. The health and social care sector has grown at the same rate with an increased development of specialist care services.

As a result, more people are paying much closer attention to the inspection reports of CQC when deciding which care service to send themselves or their loved ones to. A bad inspection report from CQC can have a significant detrimental impact on the success of a care service.

Your service may have been assessed based on factually inaccurate information or without considering key additional information and, as a result, may be given a lower rating by CQC than you had hoped. We can advise you as to whether there may be potential merit in challenging a draft CQC inspection report or the subsequent rating if already published.

The factual accuracy form must be returned to CQC within 10 working days from receipt by a provider of a draft inspection report. A ratings review request must be submitted within 15 working days of publication of an inspection report. There are therefore very tight deadlines for dealing with these issues. Don’t let the opportunity to challenge a report or rating that you are unhappy with pass you by.

FAQs

What do the CQC look for when inspecting a service?

CQC are very clear in the five key areas and questions they ask of all health and social care services they inspect, including: 

  • Are they safe?
  • Are they effective? 
  • Are they caring? 
  • Are they responsive to people’s needs?
  • Are they well-led?

What happens if you fail a CQC inspection?

There are 4 CQC ratings that your service can obtain; Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, and Inadequate. If you fail your inspection and are rated as inadequate, you will be placed straight into special measures. 

Special measures provides services with a framework for which CQC to use their enforcement powers in response to inadequate care, working with other organisations to ensure improvements are made and providing a timeline by which improvements must be made.

What enforcement actions can CQC take?

There are many actions CQC may take which differ in severity and are based on the issues and problems that they have identified. 

These can include requirement and warning notices, changes to registration, being placed in special measures, issuing fines and even prosecuting cases.

Here to help

Our specialist teams can provide full service legal advice and assistance, providing practical and cost-effective solutions.

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