What happens on a mock CQC inspection?

Governance · November 2026 · 2 minute read

A mock CQC inspection is a rehearsal for the real thing. Someone from outside your service looks at it the way an inspector would, then tells you what they found while there is still time to fix it. Here is what happens, from the first call to the action plan.

Before the visit

You agree the scope: which service or branch, how big the sample should be, and anything you are worried about. A good reviewer asks for a few documents in advance, such as your statement of purpose, your last CQC report, recent audits and your action plan, so the visit is spent on practice, not reading.

On the day

Most home care services need one day on site. Larger and complex care services usually need two. The reviewer will:

• sample care records, risk assessments, daily notes and medicines records for a handful of people;
• check staff files against the recruitment checks the regulations require;
• talk to staff at every level, from care workers to the registered manager;
• hear from the people you support and their families, by visit or phone;
• test your governance: whether incidents, audits, complaints and actions connect, and whether leaders know what is happening.

The most useful findings come from comparing the records with what people say. A care plan that says one thing while staff describe another is a finding, however good the paperwork looks.

Feedback

You should get verbal feedback before the reviewer leaves, so nothing in the report is a surprise. Expect it to be honest. A mock inspection that only tells you what you want to hear is no use to you on the day.

The report and action plan

A written report follows, with every finding linked to one of the five key questions and ranked by risk. The best reports come with an action plan: what to fix first, who owns it and by when. Ours arrive within 10 working days.

Doing it yourself

If you want to run your own first, use our free mock CQC inspection checklist and templates for home care, care homes and supported living. Use someone with fresh eyes: the person who wrote the care plans is the least likely to spot what is missing from them.

When you want an outside view, our mock CQC inspection gives you a written report ranked by risk and a plan your team can deliver.