As the CQC continues its recovery and searches for a permanent Chief Executive, the CQC board will meet again on 03 June 2026 at a pivotal moment for health and social care regulation.
For GP practices, independent primary care and adult social care providers, the upcoming board meeting is likely to continue the themes that have dominated the regulator’s recent public discussions: rebuilding trust with stakeholders and the public, increasing inspection and registration activity and stabilising the digital systems that underpin the Single Assessment Framework.
The direction of the regulator has become increasingly clear across the last three board meetings (June 2025, November 2025 and March 2026). Providers should expect the June 2026 meeting to focus less on announcing new initiatives, but more on operational delivery, such as inspection and registration recovery, data quality, digital improvements and sector confidence.
Inspection and Registration Activity is Key
Following external commitments to improve the number of inspections, the strongest signal from recent board papers and sector updates is that inspection activity is increasing significantly. In March 2026, CQC confirmed that restoring inspection capacity and improving the consistency of regulation are now among its top operational priorities. This was reinforced through the launch of the ‘Returning to Good and Outstanding’ programme for lower-risk GP services.
For GP practices, this is particularly important. The Returning to Good and Outstanding project began in March 2026 and is aimed at practices rated Good or Outstanding that have not been inspected for several years. These focused assessments are designed to provide updated assurance while allowing CQC to increase inspection coverage at pace. They are due to be rolled out to social care providers imminently. With this in mind, social care providers should also expect continued increases in inspection and assessment activity.
CQC is also continuing to expand its workforce as part of its wider recovery programme. Recent updates confirm the regulator has recruited additional inspectors as well as Specialist Advisors and Executive Reviewers (experienced clinicians and sector leaders who support inspection teams). Together, these initiatives are intended to improve inspection consistency, increase assessment capacity and rebuild confidence in regulatory decision-making. It remains to be seen, however, whether this is yet to have a positive impact on operational performance.
While data presented in board papers is expected to show an increase in inspection and registration activity, providers should interpret the performance data published in the June meeting with caution due to lags in operational reporting. It is unlikely that this will reflect the increased activity generated by the Returning to Good and Outstanding programme, or any recent initiatives to improve registration processes. This means that published statistics may understate the true pace of inspection and registration recovery.
Digital Improvements
We expect that digital reform will also likely feature heavily at the June board meeting. Since the well-publicised problems associated with the Single Assessment Framework rollout and provider portal functionality, CQC has repeatedly acknowledged the need to improve its technology infrastructure. Recent board updates and sector communications suggest the CQC continues to work on system stabilisation, data quality improvements and streamlining internal processes through the use of AI.
Registration Delays and Operational Performance
Another likely discussion point for the June board meeting will be registration performance. Historically, providers have experienced considerable delays in registration applications and variations. This has created operational and financial challenges across both primary care and adult social care.
However, through our analysis of board data, it is clear that registration activity is improving. Most recent board papers and operational updates suggest CQC is processing higher volumes of registration applications and reducing some historic backlogs, supported by recruitment and digital process improvements. However, sceptics have noted the continued high number of rejected applications in light of this improving picture. Further, as is the case with inspection data, published performance figures may not yet fully reflect the pace of recent improvement following the March 2026 recovery initiatives.
We expect the June board meeting to provide further detail on operational recovery, workforce recruitment, and how the regulator plans to sustain and improve increased registration activity, although hopefully without the high number of rejected applications that we have seen previously.
Collaborative Regulation?
One of the more notable shifts in recent months has been the tone of CQC’s public messaging. Several senior leaders have spoken about the need to rebuild trust with providers and restoring confidence in regulation. Consultation feedback published earlier this year showed widespread concern about consistency, inspector expertise and lengthy gaps between inspections. It will be interesting to see how and if plans to increase collaboration are referenced in the meeting.
However, should these collaborative processes be further embedded, providers should not mistake collaboration for reduced scrutiny. The underlying regulatory expectations remain high. Safety, governance, culture, safeguarding, workforce competency and evidence of continuous improvement are still focal to inspection outcomes.
What Providers Should Watch For Next Week – Headlines
- Updated inspection and registration recovery figures and whether activity levels are continuing to increase
- Further commentary on Returning to Good and Outstanding inspections and how and when these will be rolled out to social care providers
- Progress updates on digital platform improvements and provider portal reliability
- Revised timelines or targets relating to registration backlogs
- Future changes to the Single Assessment Framework and inspection methodology
- Signals about workforce growth within CQC inspection teams and the use of sector specialists
Our Thoughts
The June 2026 CQC board meeting is unlikely to produce a dramatic policy announcement, but rather, reinforce a broader story that has emerged over the last year: the regulator is still in a recovery and rebuilding phase.
For GP practices and social care providers, the key message is clear: inspection activity is increasing, digital expectations are rising, and scrutiny remains strong. At the same time, CQC appears increasingly aware that provider confidence needs to be rebuilt, and at pace.
Providers preparing for inspection should continue to focus on fundamentals: strong governance, clear evidence trails, effective leadership oversight, robust digital systems and a culture of continuous improvement. And if we can learn anything from Returning to Good inspections, the message is clear: providers need to be ready for that call.
