Audit template
Accessible Information
Tests compliance with the Accessible Information Standard for people's communication needs. This template runs annual in MyCareCompliance and carries 8 mapped checks across 7 CQC quality statements.
Last reviewed: September 2026. This guidance reflects CQC information available at the date above — always refer to cqc.org.uk for current regulatory requirements.
What the audit covers
Every question in the Accessible Information is mapped to a CQC quality statement and the underlying regulation, so a failed check tells you exactly which part of the single assessment framework is at risk. This is an optional template you can switch on when it applies to your service.
- Runs annual — optional template
- Part of the Safety & governance audit category
- Maps to 5 regulations: Regulation 18 — Staffing, Regulation 9 — Person-centred care, Regulation 12 — Safe care and treatment, Regulation 16 — Receiving and acting on complaints, Regulation 17 — Good governance
- Failed checks become tracked improvement actions with an owner, due date and evidence
The 8 checks
Safe and effective staffing
Safe — 1 check- Regulation 18 — StaffingAccessible Information
Do staff receive appropriate training and support to effectively communicate with people using the service?
What we look for: Check the training matrix for communication-specific training (e.g., dementia communication, autism, Makaton, deaf awareness). A fail is placing staff with complex communication clients without providing them the necessary tools or training.
Evidence: Training matrix, staff supervisions, BSL certificates, Makaton training records, induction workbooks
Assessing needs
Effective — 1 check- Regulation 9 — Person-centred careAccessible Information
Are people's communication and information needs proactively identified and assessed before or during the initial assessment of care?
What we look for: Sample 3-5 recent care assessments. Look for specific questions asking about hearing, visual, cognitive, or linguistic needs. A fail would be assessments that gloss over communication needs or only mark 'N/A'.
Evidence: Initial assessment forms, pre-admission checklists, needs assessments, communication passports
How staff, teams and services work together
Effective — 1 check- Regulation 12 — Safe care and treatmentAccessible Information
Are people's communication needs accurately and promptly shared with other services during transitions, referrals, or handovers?
What we look for: Review records of recent hospital admissions or GP referrals. Good looks like the transfer document explicitly stating the person's communication needs. A fail is omitting this critical info, leading to poor healthcare access.
Evidence: Hospital transfer letters, multi-agency referral forms, daily handover logs, paramedic handover sheets
Listening to and involving people
Responsive — 1 check- Regulation 16 — Receiving and acting on complaintsAccessible Information
Are the complaints procedure and safeguarding information accessible to people with communication needs?
What we look for: Check the service user guide and complaints policy. Good practice is having easy-read and pictorial versions readily available to clients. A fail is only having a dense, legalistic complaints procedure that clients cannot understand.
Evidence: Easy read complaints policy, audio guide to safeguarding, visual service user guide, complaints log
Person-centred care
Responsive — 1 check- Regulation 9 — Person-centred careAccessible Information
Do care plans contain specific, detailed instructions for staff on how to support the person's communication and information needs?
What we look for: Read the communication care plans for 3 people. Good looks like practical steps (e.g., 'stand in front of X so they can lip read', 'use the picture board on the fridge'). A fail is generic text like 'X struggles to hear'.
Evidence: Communication care plans, personal profiles, one-page profiles, daily care records
Providing information
Responsive — 2 checks- Regulation 9 — Person-centred careAccessible Information
Are identified communication and information needs clearly recorded and highly visible (flagged) on the person's electronic or paper file?
What we look for: Review the main dashboard/front page for people with known communication needs. Good practice is a clear, unmissable alert (e.g., 'Requires BSL' or 'Large Print Only'). A fail is burying this information deep in the care plan.
Evidence: Electronic care management system dashboards, physical file cover sheets, handover notes, alert flags
- Regulation 9 — Person-centred careAccessible Information
Is essential information (e.g., care plans, contracts, rotas) actively provided to people in their identified preferred accessible format?
What we look for: Cross-reference a person's preferred format with the actual documents given to them in their home folder. Good is seeing bespoke formats actively used. A fail is a person requiring large print receiving standard size 11 font rotas.
Evidence: Large print care plans, easy read contracts, audio recordings, evidence of braille provision, translated documents
Governance, management and sustainability
Well-led — 1 check- Regulation 17 — Good governanceAccessible Information
Does the provider audit its compliance with the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) and act on the findings to improve?
What we look for: Look for a specific audit or review of accessible information within the last 12 months. Good looks like the manager identifying gaps (e.g., missing flags) and setting an action plan. A fail is zero management oversight of this standard.
Evidence: AIS audit reports, quality assurance minutes, action plans, feedback surveys from clients with communication needs
See it running for your service
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