CQC Regulation 18 · Staffing
CQC Regulation 18: staffing
Regulation 18 requires providers to deploy enough suitably qualified, competent and experienced staff to meet people's needs. Staff must receive the support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal they need to do their job.
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Last reviewed: 28 September 2026. Independent guidance from AJG Advisory — not official CQC guidance. Always check the official sources listed below for current requirements.
Who it applies to
All CQC-registered providers. Safer recruitment itself sits under Regulation 19 (fit and proper persons employed); Regulation 18 focuses on numbers, skills and ongoing support.
What providers should consider
- How are staffing levels decided and reviewed against people's dependency or commissioned hours?
- Is induction (including the Care Certificate where relevant) completed?
- Is mandatory and role-specific training in date?
- Are supervisions and appraisals happening at the frequency your policy sets?
- In home care, are rotas realistic, with travel time included?
What evidence may be relevant
- Dependency tools or commissioned-hours records
- Rotas and call-monitoring data
- Training matrix
- Supervision and appraisal records
- Competency assessments
How Regulation 18 links to inspection
- Under CQC's assessment framework, staffing evidence sits mainly under the Safe key question (the safe and effective staffing quality statement)
- Training, supervision and competency records also support the Effective and Well-led key questions
- Recruitment checks such as DBS and references are assessed under Regulation 19, so keep both sets of records joined up in each staff file
Common areas to review
- Training expired but staff still on the rota
- Supervision frequency below policy
- Late or shortened visits caused by unrealistic rotas
Internal audit questions
- 1.What proportion of staff have all mandatory training in date?
- 2.How many supervisions were due this quarter, and how many happened?
- 3.Did any late or missed visits trace back to rota capacity?
- 4.Are new starters completing induction within your target period?
Practical checklist
- Staffing levels linked to assessed needs
- Training matrix up to date
- Supervision and appraisal on schedule
- Induction / Care Certificate completed
- Rota realism reviewed (home care)
How MyCareCompliance can help
Workforce compliance tracks training, supervision and document expiry per staff member, and the Training Matrix, Supervision and Rota / Staffing Capacity audits turn gaps into actions.
Official sources
MyCareCompliance is founded by Jack Green, ACC Accredited Care Consultant, with over 10 years in adult social care and registered manager experience. Read Jack’s background.
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