When a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector is carrying out an inspection there may be several people involved in the process. They are normally:

• Nominated Individual: The nominated individual is the main point of contact for CQC and the organization. They are responsible for ensuring the inspection is conducted in line with the organization’s policies and procedures.
• Registered Manager: A registered manager is the point of contact for both CQC and Nominee individuals. The job responsibilities include ensuring that paperwork has been processed in order to meet regulations, among other things.
• CQC Inspection Team: The inspection team may include an inspector, a support person, and if appropriate an interpreter. The CQC inspector will visit at least once during the inspection. If more than one visit is necessary then it is usually on day two of the inspection.
• Senior Management Team: Senior management will usually meet with the inspection team. This may be during an initial meeting to discuss any issues, or at a later date after the findings of the inspection have been shared.
• Staff: Inspectors will want to speak to a representative cross-section of staff. This will give them an understanding of the care and services being provided as well as how the organization is run.
• Service Users: This process is integral to the inspection. The inspector will meet with a service user at least once during an initial visit. Although, it may be necessary for them to speak to more than one service user, depending on the type of service being inspected.

Inspection notices are usually announced two weeks in advance, but CQC inspectors can visit without warning. To prepare for an inspection your organization should always operate at the appropriate level and have staff who know how to answer questions about their work history or current practices if asked by inspectorate team members during visits. You can make inspections go more smoothly by using quality control systems to monitor operational processes and identify areas where improvements are needed, as well as praising staff members for work that is performed well. This will decrease the anxiety some workers might feel during an inspection because they know you’re looking out for their best interest at all times.