The focus of CQC inspections is the experiences people have when they receive care and the impact the care has on their health and wellbeing. CQC make their judgements against the regulations, and the judgements they make are informed by these experiences. This is why inspectors spend a lot of their time on an inspection talking to patients, their families and their carers. They’ll check their findings in a number of ways, for example by looking at records or speaking with staff, to reach their judgements.

"We won’t normally spend a great deal of time reading policy or procedure documents, unless we need to look at them to substantiate other evidence or what staff or patients have told us about their experiences."