CQC for Event Medical Providers: What you Need to Know

A Quick Reality Check: Where Is CQC At Right Now?

Let’s be honest. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has been through a rough patch lately. Since launching their 2021 strategy, they’ve rolled out a new Single Assessment Framework, overhauled their IT, and reorganised the entire structure. This prompted an independent review, led by Penny Dash (commissioned by the CQC Board), which was published in October 2024 and she didn’t mince her words:

·         Inspections are down, reports have been delayed, and both providers and inspectors are frustrated with the new process.

• Many experienced staff have left, morale has taken a hit, and those remaining are often stretched thin and desperate for improvements.

• Clinical leadership has been diluted, and decision-makers aren’t as visible or available as they used to be.

• The new assessment framework? Ambitious, but overly complicated. It’s confusing for inspectors and providers alike and doesn’t always fit the wide range of services CQC covers.

• Their new IT platform has caused headaches for everyone, from CQC staff to provider organisations, delaying reports, making uploads a chore and loosing hundreds (if not thousands) of records.

• There’s also less useful data available for inspections than there was pre-pandemic, which isn’t exactly helping matters.

The good news? CQC is now acknowledging these problems and has started acting on the recommendations from the review (published October 2024). It’s early days, but there are signs of recovery and improvement ahead.

If you want the full, detailed story, you can check out the report here (make a cup of tea because you’ll need it).

Yes, the CQC has had a rough ride, but things are slowly getting back on track. If you’re feeling confused by the recent changes, you’re in good company as even the regulators are still working it out.

Key Recommendations relevant to Event Medical Care

• Back to sector expertise: CQC is moving back to having Chief Inspectors with genuine experience in each sector, including urgent and emergency care. Plus, a dedicated Event Healthcare Standard is in development. Resulting in inspections guided by standards tailored to festivals and events, not just hospital models. That means event medical services should get more relevant, practical oversight.

• Simpler rules, less confusion: The complicated scoring and evidence system is likely to be dropped, making it much clearer what “good” looks like for event healthcare.

• Relationship repair: The CQC wants to rebuild direct relationships with providers, including more dialogue and support, this is good news for organisers who want clarity and not just criticism.

• Sorting the registration backlog: One of the biggest headaches for medical providers is how long it’s taking to get registered. Reducing this backlog is now a top priority and fingers crossed, future applications should move faster.

• Data that helps: The CQC will use existing NHS data more effectively, so the focus is on meaningful quality, not just box-ticking.

• Ratings review: The “one-word ratings” system is up for review, so how services are labelled and understood could soon make more sense

While the CQC is still finding its feet, the aim is for more straightforward, sector-relevant inspections (guided by an actual Event Healthcare Standard!) and fewer frustrating delays. For event organisers, that should mean less confusion and more support when it comes to getting and staying compliant.

Phew – that’s a lot to unpack, and we haven’t even got the measurement bit yet!

How does the CQC measure services?

With all the changes and recommendations flying around, some things are still likely to stick, especially the core framework the CQC has used for years. My prediction (don’t hold me to it!) is that the famous “five key questions” will remain at the heart of how services are assessed. The CQC itself has said these are here to stay.

The Five Key Questions CQC inspectors look at any service and ask:

• Is it Safe?
  Are people protected from harm and avoidable risk?

• Is it Effective?
  Does care, treatment, and support achieve good outcomes, help people maintain quality of life, and is it based on the best available evidence?

• Is it Caring?
  Are people treated with compassion, dignity, and respect?

• Is it Responsive?
  Does the service meet people’s needs and adapt when those needs change?

• Is it Well-led?
  Is leadership strong, clear, and does the culture support high-quality care?

These will remain key areas to focus on. How these will be measured and what evidence will be used.

How does CQC gather evidence?

Right now, the CQC uses six evidence categories to gather information about any service they inspect. This is how they build a full picture (and, hopefully, a fair one):

1. People’s experiences
   What do people who use the service, and their families say about it?

2. Feedback from staff and leaders
   What do those working in, leading, or collaborating with the service think?

3. Observation
   What do inspectors see when they visit or review the service in action?

4. Processes
   What systems, policies, and procedures are in place to keep things running safely and smoothly?

5. Outcomes
   What are the real-world results? Are people getting better, staying safe, and achieving positive outcomes?

6. Feedback from partners
   (Sometimes shown as separate from staff/leaders, but often overlaps - think NHS partners, emergency services, local authorities.)

Will these categories stay?
The recent review highlighted that this system has become confusing and is slowing things down. While the specifics may shift or be streamlined, the general idea of gathering evidence from different sources and perspectives will almost certainly remain.

So, if you’re preparing for CQC inspection, keep focusing on gathering feedback, tracking real outcomes, and being open about your processes. Even if the categories get a refresh, those basics won’t disappear!

How does CQC measure quality?

The CQC use two kinds of statements to shape what they’re looking for:

• Quality statements (note these are going to be renamed and reframed)

These spell out what “good” looks like in practice. Think of them as the gold standards every service should be aiming for. They cover all the big areas: safety, responsiveness, leadership, teamwork, and more.

• I statements:

These capture what people should be able to say about their care. For example: “I feel safe,” or “I am treated with dignity and respect.”

There are currently 34 quality statements in the framework (these are being reduced to align with the regulations). For event and urgent care settings, here are a few of the most relevant examples:

·         “We respond promptly and effectively to emergencies and changes in people’s health or wellbeing.”

·         “We involve people in decisions about their care and support.”

·         “We treat people with kindness, dignity, and respect.”

·         “We learn from mistakes and make improvements where needed.”

·         “We have the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time.”

·         “We work in partnership with other organisations to deliver joined-up care.”

·         “We check that equipment is safe and ready to use.”

·         “We record, review, and act on feedback from people using our services.”

·         “We support our staff with training, supervision, and clear leadership.”

If you can show that your service puts these statements into action, through your policies, team training, feedback, and day-to-day practice, you’ll be ticking the right boxes for CQC (and, more importantly, delivering great care).

What are “I statements”?

“I statements” are the CQC’s way of putting people at the centre of everything. Instead of just focusing on policies or procedures, they ask: What should someone be able to say about the care they receive here?

For example:

• “I feel safe when I’m at the event.”

• “I know who to speak to if I have a problem or don’t feel well.”

• “I am treated with dignity and respect.”

• “I feel listened to and involved in decisions about my care.”

• “If something goes wrong, I am told what happened and what will be done about it.”

These aren’t just nice words, they are a practical test of whether your service is truly delivering what matters most to people. If your event medical provision passes the “I statement” test, you’re doing a lot right.

Will “I statements” survive the changes? We don’t know yet. They’re a practical way of checking if your service is truly person-centred. Even if the wording changes a bit, the idea of seeing your service through the eyes of those using it is a useful measure.

A quick note on registration (aka, paperwork mountain!):

Getting registered with CQC isn’t just ticking a few boxes. Before you even see an inspector, you’ll need to upload a whole raft of documents and evidence: everything from your Statement of Purpose, Public Liability Insurance, and ICO registration, to having a Registered Manager, a financial visibility statement, training matrix, vehicle details, and a (very) long list of policies.

You’ll even get an indicative rating based on your registration documents; this means that first impressions really count!

Be ready to put in time, energy, effort (and yes, budget) there’s a fee to register and ongoing costs every year along with your annual provider information return.

Top tip:
Start early, get organised, and don’t underestimate the admin involved. It’s a process, not just a form. If you want support getting CQC registration right the first time, my team and I are here to help.

Want a checklist or a full “how-to” on CQC registration for event healthcare? That’s coming in my next article - watch this space!