Our improvement plans for 2026
27 Nov 2025 01:17 PM
We have been working to rebuild CQC, getting us back to our purpose of providing effective regulation of health and adult social care services.
Tackling the urgent issues
We have made progress on addressing some of the most urgent challenges that affect the way we work. This includes improving the experience for providers when registering with us and tackling our backlog of applications. We are testing a simpler registration form and improving our online guidance to help make the process quicker and clearer.
Under our 4 Chief Inspectors we have moved into operational inspectorates focused around areas of sector expertise. Making these changes means we are now delivering more assessments and are on track to meet our target of 9,000 assessments by the end of September 2026. We have also recruited more registration inspectors, and are seeing a steady increase in the volume of registrations completed each month.
Longer-term changes
At the same time, we have been looking at the longer-term changes we need to make. These incorporate recommendations from published external reviews into our effectiveness from Dr Penny Dash, Professor Sir Mike Richards, the Care Provider Alliance, and the independent review of our IT. The changes we are making include reviewing our assessment framework and methodology and making sure we provide effective guidance to support providers. There is also a significant amount of work needed to improve our digital platforms and how we manage, use and store data.
To manage these changes effectively while not hindering our ability to inspect, this work needs to be planned and scheduled.
Learning from previous experience, we will move forward in a planned way with clear points to pause and review progress before continuing. We will be guided by a clear plan that sets out the direction, priorities, and capabilities we need as we rebuild our regulatory services. This plan represents our shared view of where we’re going and how we’ll get there together.
The plan
Our immediate focus is on actions until the end of 2026, with longer-term planning for delivering the changes up to the end of 2028.
During this initial period, we will:
- redesign our entire regulatory process
- test and pilot our assessment approach and new technology
- scope improvements to our online provider portal
- continue to strengthen our registration service.
Work is already well underway through our public consultation on our assessment framework Better regulation, better care. The activity includes:
- Targeted engagement with a wide range of stakeholders on assessment frameworks for each health and care sector, and what good care looks like in these services.
- From spring 2026, analysing and responding to feedback from our consultation and engagement to develop our new assessment frameworks and approach.
- Testing with colleagues and piloting with a selection of providers to make sure the methodology works for all sectors.
- In summer 2026, publishing the final assessment framework(s) and developing guidance to support providers before we start to implement them at the end of the year.
- Continuing to improve our registration service to help us deliver quicker, clearer decisions for providers and better safeguards for people who use services.
- Improving our digital capability, including upgrading our data platform, exploring further technology needs and improving the provider portal, while reflecting on lessons learned.
How to get involved
We will carry on working in partnership with providers, the public and wider stakeholders, and your views will play a vital role in the success of this plan. There will be many opportunities for you to share your thoughts and help shape the way forward in the following ways:
Assessment framework(s) consultation
The proposals in our public consultation have been shaped by your feedback.
Targeted engagement on sector assessment frameworks and rating characteristics
There are online sessions for providers and national stakeholders.
Sign up to sessions using the following links:
In-person workshops in London
These workshops will be for providers, national stakeholders and CQC colleagues (venues to be confirmed):
- Hospitals, secondary and specialist care, primary care and community services and mental health care - Tuesday 9 December, 10.30am to 4pm
- Adult social care services - Wednesday 10 December, 10.30am to 4pm
Online focus groups for people who use services
- Mental health care - Monday 8 December
- Health care (hospitals, secondary and specialist care, and primary care and community services - Thursday 11 December
- Adult social care - Tuesday 16 December
Other opportunities to get involved
There will also be opportunities to get involved in co-designing our new technology and data strategy. We’ll share more details through our regular newsletters and bulletins.