Inspection-ready, not just inspection-aware
A full simulated CQC mock inspection delivered remotely by former CQC inspectors and registered managers — covering all five Key Lines of Enquiry, with a detailed action plan and clear rating prediction at the end. Available UK-wide.
Enquiry assessed
UK-wide
credentials
delivery
Why mock inspections matter under the Single Assessment Framework
Since CQC's Single Assessment Framework came in, the bar for what "good" looks like has risen — and inspectors increasingly use the framework's quality statements as their checklist. Many providers find their old documentation, evidence trails and self-reporting practices don't translate cleanly to the new system.
A mock inspection by former CQC inspectors gives you the same scrutiny you'll face on the real day — without the consequences. You see exactly where your evidence stands, what an inspector would flag, and what a "Good" rating actually requires under the current framework.
What exactly is a mock inspection?
A mock inspection is a full simulation of a CQC site visit, delivered remotely by experienced regulators who use the same Single Assessment Framework methodology that CQC uses. They review your evidence, interview your team, observe your practice (via guided video walkthroughs), and assess you against the 34 quality statements that underpin the five key questions.
At the end, you receive a detailed report with a predicted rating, evidence-based findings, and a prioritised action plan. The difference: when something is wrong, you have time to fix it.
The 5 Key Lines of Enquiry we assess
CQC's Single Assessment Framework is built around five key questions. We score you against all five — with the same evidence requirements and weighting CQC uses on the real day:
↓ Hover over each question to see what we examine
Safe?
Protected from abuse and harm
Safeguarding systems, medication management, infection control, environment, risk assessments, staffing levels.
Effective?
Achieving good outcomes
Care planning, evidence-based practice, staff training and competency, consent, nutrition, hydration, MCA/DoLS.
Caring?
Compassion, dignity, respect
Person-centred care, dignity, emotional support, independence, involvement of people and families.
Responsive?
Meeting people's needs
Personalised support, equality and diversity, complaints handling, end-of-life care, accessible information.
Well-Led?
Leadership & governance
Vision and strategy, culture, governance, learning and improvement, partnerships, environmental sustainability.
What happens during your mock, hour by hour
Our remote mock follows the same rhythm as a CQC site visit — delivered via secure video calls, screen-sharing and guided walkthroughs. Typically a single full day for smaller services, two days for residential or more complex services. Here's a typical structure:
Pre-inspection briefing
We meet you and the Registered Manager via secure video call. Confirm scope, evidence locations, and any sensitive areas. Walk through the day's plan together.
Documentation deep-dive
Care plans, risk assessments, training matrices, supervision records, audit trails — reviewed via secure shared folders. We sample-test against the framework's quality statements.
Staff interviews
Same competency-based questioning CQC uses, conducted via video call. We test understanding of safeguarding, MCA, person-centred care, escalation, and Well-Led culture.
People & family feedback
Service users and (where possible) family members, by phone or video with consent. Direct experience evidence is critical under SAF.
Virtual environment review
Guided video walkthrough of the service environment with the Manager — safety, suitability, dignity-in-environment, medication storage, and any specialist equipment.
Registered Manager interview
Two-hour structured video interview — governance, leadership, vision, audit, learning culture, partnerships. Same depth as a Well-Led inspection.
Initial findings & verbal feedback
Same-day verbal feedback via video covering top-line findings, immediate red flags, and your predicted rating direction. Full written report follows within 14 days.
For 2-day mocks (residential, multi-location, or complex services), the schedule expands across two days — typically Day 1 for documentation, staff interviews and Manager interview; Day 2 for deeper environment review, family feedback, and consolidation of findings.
Your full action plan, within 14 days
A mock inspection isn't useful without a plan to act on. Within 14 days of your inspection day, you receive a comprehensive report that's structured, prioritised, and ready to use as a working document:
Executive summary with predicted CQC rating per key question
Detailed findings mapped to each quality statement
Risk-rated improvement priorities (red / amber / green)
Resource and timeline guidance for each action
Implementation support for 30 days post-delivery
Predicted ratings
Priority actions
Sample report preview — your actual report will be tailored to your service
Mock inspection packages
Three remote packages by service complexity — every one includes the 14-day action plan and 30 days of post-delivery support
1-Day Remote
Mock Inspection
Single-day remote mock for home care, supported living, clinics and smaller services — full 5-KLOE assessment with action plan.
2-Day Remote
Mock Inspection
Comprehensive two-day remote mock — ideal for residential care homes, larger services and multi-site providers.
2-Day In-Depth
+ Implementation
Most comprehensive package — 2-day in-depth mock plus full remote support helping you complete every action point.
All packages are 100% remote and subject to terms and conditions
Why providers choose Cura for their mock
Anyone can run a checklist. We bring inspector-level rigour and consultancy-grade follow-through:
↓ Hover over each tile to see what makes it different
Former CQC inspectors
Our team includes ex-CQC lead inspectors and registered managers. We know exactly what the real-day inspector is looking for.
Same depth as the real visit
All five KLOEs, 34 quality statements, evidence-based assessment, family feedback. Identical methodology to CQC.
Actionable, not academic
Findings ranked by impact and risk, with clear timelines, resource estimates, and accountability mapping.
30 days of post-mock support
After delivery, you have us on WhatsApp for 30 days for clarifications, evidence reviews and rapid advice as you implement.
Frequently asked questions
Indirectly, yes. The mock identifies exactly the gaps a CQC inspector would flag — giving you time to fix them before the real visit. The improvement comes from acting on the findings; the mock is the diagnostic that makes the right actions visible. With our In-Depth package, we also stay with you for the action completion phase.
Remote mocks are efficient (no travel costs or time), accessible UK-wide, and replicate the digital review approach CQC increasingly uses. We use secure video calls for interviews, screen-sharing for document review, and guided video walkthroughs of premises. The depth and quality of the assessment is identical to an on-site mock — and you receive the same 14-day action plan.
Ideally 8–12 weeks before. That gives you time to act on the findings, embed changes, and build evidence trails before the real visit. If you’ve just been notified of a CQC inspection, we can still help — we offer faster turnarounds for urgent cases.
A structured document with an executive summary, predicted ratings per key question, detailed findings mapped to each quality statement, and risk-rated improvement priorities (red/amber/green) with timelines and resource estimates. You can use it directly as a working improvement plan.
A self-audit is internal and inherently subjective — you know what your service looks like from the inside. A mock by former CQC inspectors brings the outside view: how an inspector hears your team, reads your documentation, and interprets your evidence against the framework. That outside view is the value.
Yes — we recommend full transparency. Staff perform better when they understand the purpose, and the mock becomes a learning opportunity rather than a ‘gotcha’. We treat the day like a real inspection in rigour, not in atmosphere.
Yes. Every package includes 30 days of WhatsApp support post-delivery for clarifications and rapid advice. Our In-Depth package goes further — full remote support throughout the action completion phase, helping you implement every finding from the report.
Authoritative sources
Official CQC reference material for further reading:
- Care Quality Commission — Official CQC website
- CQC — Assessment framework & key questions
- CQC — How we assess providers
Find out where you really stand
30-minute scoping call · No obligation · Honest assessment of your mock readiness