The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) recent “Return to Good and Outstanding” programme marks a significant shift in regulatory activity, moving away from lengthy comprehensive inspections to those which are shorter, more dynamic and focused. Initially launched for lower-risk GP practices and with imminent roll-out planned for social care providers, the programme is designed to increase inspections while reducing the regulatory burden.
The new approach focuses on rapid assessments, fewer quality statements and quicker publication. The burning question is, of course, what can both GP and social care providers learn from these early GP inspections?
The 10 Quality Statements Used in GP Return to Good Inspections
Whilst it is not yet clear which quality statements will be looked at for the social care Return to Good inspections, for GP’s, CQC is assessing 10 quality statements across all five key questions.
These are:
- Safe – Safe Environments
- Safe – Safe and Effective Staffing
- Safe – Infection Prevention and Control
- Effective – Supporting People to Live Healthier Lives
- Effective – Monitoring and Improving Outcomes
- Caring – Kindness, Compassion and Dignity
- Responsive – Equity in Access
- Responsive – Equity in Experience and Outcomes
- Well-Led – Shared Direction and Culture
- Well-Led – Governance, Management and Sustainability
Reviewing GP inspection reports published during March and April 2026, we can see that Return to Good inspections are now clearly operational across GP providers. Reports are shorter and focused on safety, operational oversight, leadership visibility, patient experience, staffing, governance and infection control.
One of the most notable findings is the speed of publication. Early Return to Good reports are generally being published within about two to four weeks of inspection, a significant decrease from the months that we have been used to with the comprehensive inspections. This suggests that the Return to Good model is helping the CQC increase regulatory activity while also reducing delays between inspection and publication — something many providers have long called for.
What Could Return to Good Inspections Look Like in Social Care?
Although the CQC has not yet confirmed which quality statements will be used for social care Return to Good assessments, the GP model provides us with a sound indication of the regulator’s likely direction of travel.
The quality statements considered in social care Return to Good inspections may not mirror primary care exactly, but they are likely to focus on areas that give the CQC the clearest picture of risk, governance and performance in the sector, within a shorter time-frame.
Whilst the CQC are yet to indicate which quality statements would be included, potential areas of focus could include:
- Safe – Safe and Effective Staffing, ensuring staff are recruited and equipped for their roles, with effective workforce oversight
- Safe – Medicines management, to check residents and clients are receiving their medicines safely and when they need them
- Safe – Safeguarding, making sure there are effective systems, training and learning to keep people safe
- Safe – Infection Prevention and Control, observing effective processes and corroborating findings through training and audit
- Safe – Safe Environments, ensuring people who use services are being supported with appropriate equipment and an environment that meets their needs
- Effective – Assessing Needs, ensuring the effectiveness of people’s care and treatment by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them
- Effective – Supporting People to Live Healthier Lives, reviewing care plans and delivery to ensure people are able to manage their health and wellbeing
- Effective – Consent to Care and Treatment, through observations and discussions to ensure that care is delivered in line with people’s choices, preferences and relevant legislation
- Caring – Independence, Choice and Control, observations and feedback to ensure people are supported to maintain independence and have choice and control over their care and wellbeing
- Responsive – Person-Centred Care, observations and engagement with people using services to ensure care is tailored to individual needs and responsive to changes in circumstances
- Responsive – Providing Information, reviewing how providers ensure people receive accurate and accessible information in formats suited to their communication needs
- Responsive – Planning for the Future, assessing how providers support people to plan ahead for life changes, including future care preferences and end of life wishes where appropriate
- Well-Led – Freedom to Speak Up, discussions with staff and people using services to ensure there is an open culture where concerns can be raised and acted upon
- Well-Led – Governance, Management and Sustainability, reviewing governance and oversight arrangements to ensure services are safe, sustainable and effectively managed
Irrespective of the quality statements, it is clear that the most likely outcome is a more targeted, focused assessment process, looking at safeguarding referrals, whistleblowings, complaints and feedback from partners and commissioners. These will be focused on determining whether providers remain low risk and are continuing to deliver safe, effective and compassionate care.
However, fewer quality statements should not be mistaken for lighter scrutiny. Early GP reports demonstrate that inspectors continue to identify governance concerns, operational risks and compliance gaps even within focused assessments.
What Has the CQC Said About Social Care and Return to Good Inspections?
Chris Badger, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care at the Care Quality Commission (CQC), has already presented plans for Return to Good assessments within social care. This stated that rollout for social care was planned for May/June 2026, suggesting implementation may now be imminent.
(Source: CMM Webinar – The future of adult social care regulation – Chris Badger)
The presentation described an intelligence-led assessment approach for lower-risk services with reduced document review and greater focus on observations and people’s experiences.
Return to Good assessments were also referenced within the CQC Board papers of 11 March 2026, indicating that this programme remains part of the regulator’s wider operational recovery strategy. However, many questions still remain. For example:
- Will all five key questions be included?
- Which quality statements will be assessed?
- How will ratings be determined?
- When will these inspections will be rolled out? And importantly
- Which social care providers will be eligible?
Conclusion
The GP rollout demonstrates that Return to Good is not simply a reduced inspection model — it is a different regulatory approach focused on efficiency, intelligence and operational assurance. The impact has already been significant, with more focused inspections and much faster report publication timelines.
For social care providers, the message is increasingly clear: providers should prepare for shorter, more focused assessments that will look at governance, lived experience and effective leadership.
The details may still be emerging, but the direction of travel is now firmly established. For social care, Return to Good inspections are likely to be coming very soon.