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These are inspections that focus on low‑risk NHS primary care services currently rated Good or Outstanding. The aim is to provide updated assurance where services haven’t been inspected for several years.

• This new inspection program will:
• Increase the volume and consistency of inspections
• Provide additional assurance for services not inspected recently
• Run alongside usual CQC assessment activity
• Help CQC engage with more providers and service users

This signals a clear move to routine inspections: even high‑performing services can expect more frequent regulatory activity.

The initial focus will be on NHS GP practices that:

• Currently hold a Good or Outstanding rating
• Were last inspected between 2017 and 2022
• Are considered lower risk
• Have no ongoing regulatory activity
• Are actively operating (not dormant)

While this phase is targeted at primary care, the Return to Good program is also being introduced across other sectors as CQC increases inspection activity.

CQC uses a range of information and data to decide inspection type such as routine, focused, or Returning to Good. This includes:

• Patient feedback and complaints
• Safety and quality data
• Staff feedback and whistleblowing
• Safeguarding alerts
• Information from NHS and partner organisations
• Previous inspection findings

This helps them identify what type of inspection to carry out, whether the inspection should be announced or unannounced and where to focus inspection activity.

Practices with stable performance and positive indicators are more likely to be considered lower risk.

A dormant service is a registered with CQC but is not currently delivering regulated activities. This may happen if your service is temporarily closed, waiting to begin services, undergoing changes, or relocating.

Providers usually apply to be listed as dormant by contacting CQC and confirming they are not delivering care. CQC may have identified that you are dormant through routine monitoring or where there is evidence that you have stopped delivering the regulated activity.

Dormant services will not be included in Returning to Good inspections, as the programme focuses on services currently delivering care. If you are dormant but your service becomes active again, CQC will review your service and decide what type of inspection is appropriate.

Ongoing regulatory activity is whereby the CQC is already engaging with a provider about quality or compliance concerns. This means the service is already subject to regulatory attention and is therefore not eligible for a Returning to Good inspection.

• Ongoing regulatory activity may include where CQC is:
• Following up on previous inspection findings
• Monitoring improvements after a Requires Improvement or Inadequate rating
• Responding to concerns or safeguarding information
• Reviewing enforcement action or warning notices
• Carrying out a planned, focused or responsive assessment

If your service has ongoing regulatory activity, CQC will carry out a full inspection or focused assessment, rather than a Returning to Good assessment.

These focused assessments will:

• Focus on 10 non‑clinical quality statements
• Include a site visit
• Provide at least 5 working days’ notice, as opposed to 10 working days’ notice for non-urgent inspections outside of the program
• Not routinely involve a GP Specialist Advisor
• Escalate to a full inspection if concerns are identified

This means services must ensure non‑clinical areas such as governance, leadership, and processes are robust and inspection‑ready.

Why not use the QCS Digital Mock Inspections, built specifically for NHS GP Practices, to ensure you are inspection ready?!

As the Return to Good Inspections are focused on just 10 non-clinical quality statements, if concerns are identified during the focused assessment, CQC may want to expand the inspection to look beyond the initial scope. This may include:

• Escalating to a full inspection
• Involving GP Specialist Advisors to gather clinical input
• Reviewing clinical areas in more detail

This means practices should still prepare as if a full inspection is taking place.

1. Inspections are Increasing

CQC has made clear its priority to increase the volume and consistency of inspections. This means even highly rated services should be prepared.

2. Non‑Clinical Areas Are Under the Spotlight

The focus on non‑clinical quality statements reinforces the importance of governance, leadership, policies and procedures, staff training, recruitment and support, as well as quality assurance.

Take a look at the QCS Compliance System and Audit Centre to make sure you’re on the right track.

3. Shorter Notice Periods

With as little as 5 working days’ notice, providers must remain inspection‑ready at all times.

The initial Returning to Good and Outstanding programme is focused on NHS GP practices currently rated Good or Outstanding and considered lower risk. If you are a provider in adult social care or another sector, you are unlikely to be included in this first phase.

However, CQC is testing similar approaches in adult social care through Short Reports and Return to Good – Test & Learn. This includes assessing 18 quality statements and producing shorter reports designed to increase inspection activity while reducing burden on providers.

Early testing suggests inspectors may be able to complete around one inspection per week, although this is still being evaluated.

This means providers outside of GP practices may still experience more frequent, proportionate inspections as this work develops.

Whether the CQC assesses all 34 quality statements under a full inspection or 10 through the Return to Good inspections, QCS gives teams the clarity and structure you need.

QCS provides:

• A complete suite of QCS Policies and Procedures aligned with the Single Assessment Framework
• QCS Mock Inspections QCS Mock Inspections that help test readiness and demonstrate effective governance
• Key audits requested by the regulator
• QCS Feedback Surveys for staff, people who use services and partners, all aligned with the Single Assessment framework.
• Lyra, our AI technology that gives staff instant, practical guidance based on your own policies

Get in touch here to see how the QCS platform can bring together everything you need into one connected system!