Audit template
Daily Care Records Audit
Reviews daily notes for quality, timeliness and whether they evidence the care the plan requires. This template runs monthly 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 Daily Care Records Audit 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 one of the core templates we recommend for every provider.
- Runs monthly — core template
- Part of the Service users & care quality audit category
- Maps to 5 regulations: Regulation 12 — Safe care and treatment, Regulation 14 — Meeting nutritional and hydration needs, Regulation 10 — Dignity and respect, Regulation 9 — Person-centred care, Regulation 17 — Good governance
- Failed checks become tracked improvement actions with an owner, due date and evidence
The 8 checks
Involving people to manage risks
Safe — 1 check- Regulation 12 — Safe care and treatmentDaily Care Records Audit
Do daily records show evidence that staff identify, document, and escalate emerging risks or changes in the person's condition?
What we look for: Look for logs detailing changes (e.g., red skin, worsening mobility, confusion). Good looks like clear documentation of the issue and escalation to the office or district nurse. A fail is documenting a clear risk but taking no action.
Evidence: Daily logs, incident reports, communication logs with office/health professionals
Medicines optimisation
Safe — 1 check- Regulation 12 — Safe care and treatmentDaily Care Records Audit
Where care plans specify medication support, are daily logs aligned with MAR charts to confirm completion or refusal?
What we look for: Check logs for service users receiving medication support. Good looks like daily notes explicitly mentioning medication administration/prompts, matching the signatures on the MAR. A fail is discrepancies between the daily log narrative and the MAR chart.
Evidence: Daily logs, MAR charts, medication care plans
Supporting people to live healthier lives
Effective — 1 check- Regulation 14 — Meeting nutritional and hydration needsDaily Care Records Audit
Are nutrition and hydration inputs documented adequately when specified as a need in the care plan?
What we look for: Check records for people with assessed nutritional risks. Good looks like specific details of what was eaten/drunk (e.g., 'ate full bowl of porridge, drank 200ml tea'). A fail is failing to record amounts when a fluid chart is required.
Evidence: Daily logs, fluid charts, food and nutrition care plans
Kindness, compassion and dignity
Caring — 1 check- Regulation 10 — Dignity and respectDaily Care Records Audit
Is the language used by staff in daily care records respectful, objective, and promoting the person's dignity?
What we look for: Read a selection of log entries. Good looks like professional, objective, and respectful language. A fail is the use of derogatory, subjective, or infantilising language (e.g., 'she was naughty today' or 'refused to behave').
Evidence: Daily logs (electronic or paper)
Person-centred care
Responsive — 1 check- Regulation 9 — Person-centred careDaily Care Records Audit
Do daily care logs reflect person-centred care, detailing the individual's choices and preferences rather than generic task lists?
What we look for: Review the narrative in the daily logs. Good looks like specific details (e.g., 'Mary chose to wear her blue dress and we discussed her grandchildren'). A fail is repetitive, generic phrases like 'All care given' or 'Washed and dressed'.
Evidence: Daily care notes, care plans, service user feedback
Governance, management and sustainability
Well-led — 2 checks- Regulation 17 — Good governanceDaily Care Records Audit
Are daily care logs fully completed for every scheduled visit, with no missing entries or unexplained gaps?
What we look for: Sample logs for 5 service users over a 7-day period. Cross-reference with the rota. Good looks like a corresponding log entry for every scheduled visit. A fail is missing entries where care was allegedly delivered but not documented.
Evidence: Electronic call monitoring (ECM) records, paper daily logs, rota schedules
- Regulation 17 — Good governanceDaily Care Records Audit
Do the recorded visit times (start, end, and duration) accurately match the scheduled times and ECM data?
What we look for: Compare log entry times against ECM/rota. Good looks like accurate logging reflecting the actual time spent, matching the commissioned duration. A fail is systematically logging 30 minutes for a 15-minute visit, or leaving before tasks are complete.
Evidence: ECM data, daily logs, timesheets, scheduling software reports
Learning, improvement and innovation
Well-led — 1 check- Regulation 17 — Good governanceDaily Care Records Audit
Is there evidence of management routinely auditing daily care records and taking action on poor record-keeping?
What we look for: Review the service's internal audit records. Good looks like monthly record audits with targeted feedback to staff who write poor notes. A fail is management failing to spot or address chronic poor record-keeping practices.
Evidence: Record audit tools, staff supervision notes, team meeting minutes, spot check records
See it running for your service
Book a free demonstration and we will run the Daily Care Records Audit against scenarios from a service like yours, or start your 7-day trial and try it yourself.
See it with your own service
Book a free demonstration and we will walk through the platform using scenarios from a service like yours.