Different types of inspection
Find out about the different types of inspections for
care services and care homes.
We have three types of inspection that involve a visit to the
service plus an annual review, which does not include a visit.
Key inspections
Key inspections are a thorough look at how well
the service is doing and are usually unannounced.
They take into account detailed information sent to us by the
service's owner or manager, the views and experiences of people who
are using the service and any other relevant information we
have received since the last inspection.
Our inspectors will look at how well the service is meeting the
standards set by the government. This information is then used to
calculate a quality rating. The rating may be assessed as 'poor'
(zero star service), 'adequate' (1 star service), 'good' (2 star
service) or 'excellent' (3 star service).
Random inspections
Random inspections are short, targeted inspections which may
focus on specific issues that have come up or check on improvements
that should have been made.
Random inspections are usually unannounced and can take place at
any time of the day or night.
Thematic inspections
Thematic inspections look at how well a service is performing in
a particular area, for example medication, or dignity. They help us
to gain a picture of trends at a national level.
We will produce reports for the Government and the public about
what is happening in England's care services, based on what we
find.
Annual service review
If a service is rated 'good' or 'excellent', then we will visit
less frequently. For each year that we do not inspect we will carry
out an annual review of the service. If we think that the quality
of the service may have changed, we may decide to bring forward a
key inspection or carry out a random inspection visit.
Find out more