CQC Improvement Readiness Self-Check
64 assessment questions across 8 domains - the same lines of enquiry a senior consultant uses to test whether a service would stand up to inspection today.
- Score each domain and see exactly where your evidence is thin
- Written for complex care, mental health and high-risk services
- Board-ready: use it as an agenda item, not just a tick list
- Free, no obligation, and you can unsubscribe at any time
Get your copy
Tell us a little about your service and we will send the self-check straight to your inbox.
Eight domains, 64 honest questions
Each domain gives you a short set of evidence-led questions, a scoring line and space for the action you will take. Answer them truthfully and you will know within an hour where your assurance would break under scrutiny.
Governance & oversight
Board-to-floor line of sight, meeting rhythm and the evidence behind decisions.
Safe care & risk
Risk assessment quality, restrictive practice and management of high-risk cases.
Safeguarding
Thresholds, referrals, escalation and how learning is closed out.
Medicines
Administration, competency, audit trail and error response.
Staffing & competence
Recruitment, supervision, training currency and skill mix against need.
Person-centred care
Care plan quality, capacity, consent and outcomes people can feel.
Incidents & learning
Reporting culture, duty of candour and whether learning changes practice.
Evidence & audit
Whether your audit cycle proves improvement or just records activity.
From download to a credible improvement plan
The self-check is designed to be completed by a management team in a single session.
Score honestly
Work through the 64 questions as a team and rate each domain against the evidence you could produce today.
Find the gaps
The lowest-scoring domains are where an inspector will ask the second and third question you cannot answer.
Act on it
Turn each gap into an owner, an action and a date. Bring it to your next governance meeting as a standing item.
Registered managers
A fast, private way to test readiness before anyone else does - and to evidence that you looked.
Nominated individuals & directors
A consistent lens across multiple services, so you can compare and prioritise where support is needed.
Quality & compliance leads
A ready-made structure for internal audit that maps to what inspection actually tests.
Boards & providers
Assurance in language a board can act on, rather than a spreadsheet no one reads.
Before you download
Is it really free?
Yes. There is no cost and no obligation. We publish it because better-prepared services mean safer care - and because it is the clearest demonstration of how we work.
What happens to my details?
We use them to send you the self-check and occasional regulatory updates. We never sell or share your data, and every email carries a one-click unsubscribe.
Will someone call me?
Only if you ask us to. Leave the phone field blank and we will stay in your inbox.
How long does it take to complete?
Most teams work through it in 45 to 60 minutes. It is deliberately short enough to finish in one meeting.
Can I use it across several services?
Yes. Many providers run it per service and compare scores at board level. Get in touch if you would like a multi-service version.
Know where you stand before an inspector does
Download the CQC Improvement Readiness Self-Check - 64 questions across 8 domains, free and with no obligation.