Mock inspections
A day run the way a CQC or Ofsted inspection would be: records, interviews with staff and managers, the environment and the experience of the people you support. You find the gaps before an inspector does.
Compliance support and mock inspections for care providers
Registration is the start. We help registered services stay ready for inspection with honest mock inspections, document reviews and audits, then practical help to fix what we find.
What we help with
Pick one area or put them together into a full review. Everything is set against the framework your regulator uses.
Policy and document reviews
We check your Statement of Purpose, policies and guides against the current regulations and against how your service actually runs, then rewrite what no longer fits.
Quality audits
Focused audits of the areas that most often go wrong: medicines, care plans and risk assessments, recruitment files, safeguarding records and complaints.
Action plans after inspection
If a report has come back with requirements or a lower rating, we help you build a realistic action plan, evidence the changes and prepare for the next visit.
Governance and oversight
Audit schedules, quality reports and the systems your Registered Manager and senior leaders use to know what is happening in the service week to week.
Regulator notifications and queries
Help with statutory notifications, changes to your registration and replies to CQC or Ofsted queries, so they are accurate and on time.
How a compliance review works
The same six stages whether you need one audit or a full mock inspection. Choose a stage to see who does what.
Stage 1 of 6
Scope the work
We agree what to look at, against which framework, and what you need to come out of it.
Your part
Share your latest inspection report, your concerns and any deadlines.
Our part
Propose the scope, timing and fee in writing.
Stage 2 of 6
Review your documents
We read your key documents and records before any visit, so time on site is spent where it matters.
Your part
Give us access to policies, records and recent audits.
Our part
Review them against the regulations and note the questions to test on site.
Stage 3 of 6
Visit and test
On site or remotely, we look at practice the way an inspector would, talking to staff and checking records.
Your part
Make staff and records available and let the service run as normal.
Our part
Observe, sample records, interview staff and managers, and test your oversight.
Stage 4 of 6
Report and action plan
A clear written report with findings set against the framework, and a prioritised action plan.
Your part
Read the report and agree priorities and owners with us.
Our part
Explain every finding, rank the actions by risk and suggest realistic deadlines.
Stage 5 of 6
Put it right
We help you close the gaps, from rewriting policies to coaching managers on new systems.
Your part
Work through the actions with your team.
Our part
Provide documents, templates and support where you need it.
Stage 6 of 6
Check it has worked
A follow-up review shows whether the changes have held and gives you evidence to show an inspector.
Your part
Gather the evidence of what has changed.
Our part
Re-test the key areas and confirm what is now in good shape.
What a full review includes
The scope and fee are agreed in writing before any work starts. Smaller pieces of work, such as a single policy review, are quoted separately.
A mock inspection cannot predict your rating. It shows you, honestly, where you stand and what to do next.
- Scope and fee agreed in writing
- Document and record review before the visit
- Mock inspection against the current CQC or Ofsted framework
- Staff and manager interviews
- Written report with findings and evidence
- Prioritised action plan
- Policy rewrites where needed
- Follow-up review
Compliance questions
Still unsure what applies to you? Ask us directly.
Do you work with services that already have a poor rating?
Yes. Much of this work starts after a difficult inspection. We help you understand what the report means, plan the changes and build the evidence the regulator will look for next time.
Is a mock inspection the same as a real one?
It follows the same framework and the same kind of evidence, but it is private to you. Nothing is reported to CQC or Ofsted, and the findings are yours to act on.
Do you cover both CQC and Ofsted services?
Yes. We work with Domiciliary Care, Supported Living and Care Homes regulated by CQC, and Children's Homes and 16+ Supported Accommodation regulated by Ofsted.
Can we have ongoing support rather than a one-off review?
Yes. Some providers keep us on a regular arrangement for audits, policy updates and advice when something comes up. We agree what that covers and the fee in writing.
Will you tell us what we want to hear?
No. A mock inspection is only useful if it is honest. You get clear findings with the evidence behind them, and practical help to fix them.
Want to know where you stand?
Tell us about your service and your last inspection, and we will suggest the right review.