CQC quality statement — Effective
How staff, teams and services work together
"We work effectively across teams and services to support people. We make sure they only need to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when they move between different services." In MyCareCompliance, 17 mapped checks across 15 audit templates map to this quality statement.
Last reviewed: September 2026. This guidance reflects CQC information available at the date above — always refer to cqc.org.uk for current regulatory requirements.
How we check it
Each check below is a real question from a MyCareCompliance audit template. It names the regulation it evidences, describes what an auditor looks for in good and poor practice, and lists the evidence an inspector would expect you to produce.
- 17 mapped checks under the "How staff, teams and services work together" quality statement
- Evidences 5 regulations: Regulation 12 — Safe care and treatment, Regulation 18 — Staffing, Regulation 17 — Good governance, Regulation 9 — Person-centred care, Regulation 19 — Fit and proper persons employed
- Failed checks become tracked improvement actions with an owner, due date and evidence
The 17 checks
- 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
- Regulation 18 — StaffingContinuity of Care
Are new care workers formally introduced and provided with shadowing opportunities before providing care independently to a person?
What we look for: Check records for 3 recently onboarded clients or newly assigned staff. Good looks like documented shadowing visits where the new carer learns routines from a regular team member. A fail is sending unintroduced staff to a vulnerable person.
Evidence: Shadowing rotas, introduction records, induction checklists, service user care plans
- Regulation 12 — Safe care and treatmentContinuity of Care
Is there a robust system for care workers to share critical updates and handover information about changes in people's needs?
What we look for: Sample communication logs and ECM notes. Good practice involves secure, immediate sharing of health/wellbeing updates between the care team and office. A fail is critical information (like a suspected UTI) not being passed to the next carer.
Evidence: Handover logs, care worker mobile app notes, daily records, communication books, duty manager logs
- Regulation 17 — Good governanceEmergency / On Call
Is there an effective daily handover process ensuring all out-of-hours incidents are reviewed by the management team the next working day?
What we look for: Check how on-call information flows back to the core office team on a Monday morning or after a bank holiday. Good practice involves a structured handover meeting where follow-up tasks are assigned. A fail is an absence of formal handover leading to missed follow-ups on out-of-hours issues.
Evidence: Morning handover meeting notes, email handovers, task allocation records
- Regulation 12 — Safe care and treatmentFalls Management
Does the service make timely referrals to external healthcare professionals (e.g., OT, Falls Team, GP) when falls risk increases?
What we look for: Review files for individuals with recurrent falls. Check for proactive engagement with local falls teams, OTs for equipment, or GPs for medication reviews. Fail if recurrent falls occur and the service takes no action to involve community health teams.
Evidence: Referral forms, communication logs, MDT meeting notes, GP correspondence
- Regulation 17 — Good governanceHospital Transitions
Are care workers thoroughly briefed on the person's updated needs, risks, and required care plan changes before their first post-discharge visit?
What we look for: Check how information is cascaded to frontline staff. Look for read-receipts on digital care systems or signed handover sheets demonstrating that the allocated care workers know about the changes in the person's condition or equipment. A fail is a care worker arriving unaware of a recent hospital admission.
Evidence: Staff communication logs, Huddle notes, Care worker system alerts, Supervision notes
- Regulation 18 — StaffingMoving & Handling
Is staff competence in moving and handling regularly assessed through in-person spot checks?
What we look for: Examine spot check records to confirm supervisors are observing manual handling practice in the community. Good looks like constructive feedback on technique, communication, and equipment use. Fail if spot checks are not occurring or do not specifically evaluate moving and handling competence.
Evidence: Spot check forms, field care supervisor observation notes, supervision records.
- Regulation 12 — Safe care and treatmentNutrition & Hydration
Is there evidence that signs of weight loss, dehydration, or poor oral intake are promptly escalated to healthcare professionals?
What we look for: Trace instances where individuals missed intake targets or showed signs of decline. Good looks like prompt referral to GP, Dietitian, or family (as per care plan). Fail if no action was documented.
Evidence: Communication logs, GP/Dietitian referral records, handover notes, incident reports
- Regulation 18 — StaffingOnboarding New Staff
Is there a clear schedule and record of initial 1:1 supervisions and probationary review meetings held with new staff during their first 12 weeks of employment?
What we look for: Review the staff file for early supervision records. Good practice involves addressing early training needs or performance issues promptly. A fail is a lack of any formal check-in recorded during the probationary period.
Evidence: Supervision notes, probationary review forms, 4/8/12 week check-in logs, manager diaries
- Regulation 18 — StaffingRisk Assessments Audit
Can care workers accurately describe the key risks and control measures for the people they support?
What we look for: Speak with or review spot checks for 2-3 care staff. They must know where to find risk assessments and be able to articulate the specific risks for their regular clients. A fail is staff being unaware of a critical risk (e.g., dysphagia).
Evidence: Spot check records, staff supervision notes, staff interview notes during audit
- Regulation 18 — StaffingRota / Staffing Capacity
Are staff matched to care visits based on their specific training, competencies, and the individual needs of the person?
What we look for: Cross-reference the needs of 3 clients requiring specialized support (e.g., PEG feeding, complex moving and handling) with the training records of the staff rostered to them. A fail occurs if unqualified staff are scheduled for specialized tasks.
Evidence: Staff training matrix, client care plans (e.g., stoma care, hoist use), rota system skill tags, competency assessments
- Regulation 9 — Person-centred careService User Reviews Audit
Does the review identify where referrals to other health or social care professionals are needed, and are these actioned?
What we look for: If the review highlights a new issue (e.g., swallowing difficulties), check that a referral to the GP or SALT was made promptly. Fails if deteriorating health needs are identified but not acted upon.
Evidence: Referral letters (e.g. SALT, OT, GP), Social worker correspondence, Review action plans
- Regulation 12 — Safe care and treatmentSkin Integrity
Is there evidence of timely referrals and effective joint working with District Nurses or Tissue Viability Nurses when skin deteriorates?
What we look for: Trace the timeline from when red skin/damage was first noted to professional referral. Good looks like immediate escalation and clear documentation of advice given by DNs/TVNs. A fail is delayed reporting or care workers attempting to treat wounds themselves.
Evidence: Communication logs, MDT notes, Referral forms, Daily notes
- Regulation 18 — StaffingSponsor Worker Compliance
Do sponsored workers receive specific cultural orientation and tailored induction to the UK adult social care system?
What we look for: Sample induction records to see if they go beyond standard training to cover UK societal norms, CQC expectations, and nuances of providing care in people's own homes in the UK. A fail is a generic induction that does not bridge the gap in international care practices.
Evidence: Care Certificate portfolios, Induction checklists, Cultural orientation training records, Shadowing logs
- Regulation 19 — Fit and proper persons employedSponsor Worker Compliance
Is English language proficiency adequately assessed and supported to ensure safe and effective communication with people drawing on care?
What we look for: Review how the provider ensures staff can read care plans, write daily notes, and communicate clearly with clients. Good looks like ongoing language support and spot checks. A fail is service users reporting they cannot understand their carers, or illegible daily care notes.
Evidence: Interview records, Language assessment certificates (e.g., IELTS, OET), Communication spot checks, Feedback from service users
- Regulation 18 — StaffingStaff File / Safer Recruitment
Does the file demonstrate a consistent history of ongoing support through regular supervisions, spot checks, and annual appraisals?
What we look for: Sample the last 12 months of records. Check that supervisions occur at the provider's stated frequency (e.g., quarterly) and that field spot checks assess actual practice. Fail if the file has not had any documented supervision in over 6 months.
Evidence: Supervision matrix, 1:1 supervision notes, field spot check records, annual appraisal document
- Regulation 18 — StaffingSupervision Audit
Do the staff conducting the supervisions have the appropriate skills, training, and competence to supervise others effectively?
What we look for: Verify that senior carers or field care supervisors conducting the sessions have received training in giving feedback, coaching, and appraisals. Good practice involves a 'train the trainer' or management course for supervisors. Allowing inexperienced or untrained staff to conduct formal supervisions risks poor quality oversight and is a fail.
Evidence: Supervisor training certificates (e.g., leadership/management), supervisor's own appraisals, HR records
Other Effective quality statements
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