CQC & Ofsted terms, explained A–Z

Accessible Information Standard (AIS)

AIS

A standard requiring health and social care providers to identify, record, flag, share and meet the information and communication needs of people with a disability or sensory loss.

Care Certificate

An agreed set of 15 standards that health and social care workers should meet as part of their induction, covering the knowledge and skills needed to provide safe, compassionate care.

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

CQC

The independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. The CQC registers providers, monitors and inspects services against its Single Assessment Framework, and publishes ratings of Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate.

CQC ‘I’ and ‘We’ statements

I statements, We statements, CQC I and We statements

“I” statements describe what good care looks and feels like from the perspective of the person receiving it, while “We” statements set out what providers and staff commit to do to deliver it. They underpin the CQC quality statements.

CQC Notifications

Statutory notifications, Notifiable incidents

Events providers are legally required to tell the CQC about — such as deaths, serious injuries, abuse allegations and DoLS outcomes — so the regulator can monitor risk between inspections.

CQC Single Assessment Framework

Single Assessment Framework, SAF, CQC five key questions

The CQC Single Assessment Framework is the Care Quality Commission’s model for assessing health and social care providers in England using one consistent framework built around five key questions — safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led — evidenced through quality statements.

Cyber incident response in social care

Cyber incident response, Cyber attack response, Data breach response

Cyber incident response in social care is a care provider’s planned approach to detecting, containing, communicating about and recovering from a cyber attack or data breach — protecting people’s data and the continuity of their care.

Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT)

DSPT, Data Security Protection Toolkit

The Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) is an online self-assessment that health and adult social care organisations in England complete each year to demonstrate they are handling personal and sensitive data safely and meeting the National Data Guardian’s ten data-security standards.

DBS Check

DBS, Disclosure and Barring Service

A criminal-records check carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service to help employers make safer recruitment decisions. Enhanced DBS checks are required for staff in regulated care roles.

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)

DoLS

The legal framework under the Mental Capacity Act for authorising arrangements that deprive a person of their liberty in a care home or hospital when this is in their best interests and they lack capacity to consent.

Duty of Candour

A legal duty (Regulation 20) requiring providers to be open and honest with people when something goes wrong that causes, or could cause, significant harm — including an apology and a full explanation.

Fit and Proper Persons Requirement

FPPR, Regulation 5

A requirement (Regulation 5) that directors and equivalent senior figures are fit and proper to hold their role — of good character, with the necessary qualifications, skills and experience, and not barred from the role.

Fundamental Standards

The legal minimum standards below which care must never fall, set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 — covering person-centred care, dignity, consent, safety, safeguarding, nutrition, premises, complaints, governance and staffing.

Holistic care

Holistic nursing care, Whole-person care

Holistic care is an approach that considers a person’s life as a whole — addressing physical health, mental and emotional wellbeing, and spiritual and social needs in equal measure — rather than focusing only on physical symptoms.

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)

IPC

The policies and practices used to prevent and reduce the spread of infections in care settings, including hand hygiene, cleaning, use of PPE and outbreak management.

Making It Real

Making it Real framework, TLAP Making It Real

Making It Real is a framework developed by Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) that describes what good, personalised, strengths-based care and support looks like, organised around six themes and expressed through “I” and “We” statements.

MAR Chart

Medication Administration Record

A Medication Administration Record documenting the medicines prescribed for a person and each occasion they are given, refused or withheld — a core evidence record for safe medicines management.

Mental Capacity Act (MCA)

MCA, MCA 2005

The 2005 law that protects and empowers people aged 16+ who may lack capacity to make some decisions for themselves. It sets out how to assess capacity and how to make best-interests decisions.

Nominated Individual

NI

A director, manager or secretary of the provider organisation who is responsible for supervising the way regulated activities are managed. Required where the provider is an organisation rather than an individual.

Ofsted

Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills

The regulator and inspectorate for education and children’s social care in England, including children’s homes and supported accommodation for looked-after children and care leavers.

Outcome-focused care

Outcomes-focused care, Outcome-based care, Outcome-based approach

Outcome-focused care is an approach to care and support that is organised around the results a person wants to achieve in their life — their goals, wellbeing and quality of life — rather than only the tasks delivered or the symptoms treated.

Person-centred care

Person-centred support, Personalised care

Person-centred care is an approach that places the individual at the centre of their own care — respecting their preferences, choices, dignity and rights, and designing support around what matters to them rather than around the routines of the service.

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)

PBS

A person-centred, evidence-based approach to supporting people whose behaviour challenges, focused on improving quality of life and reducing restrictive practice by understanding the reasons behind behaviour.

Provider Information Return (PIR)

PIR

A structured return in which a provider gives the CQC information about the quality and safety of its service, used to inform monitoring and inspection planning.

Record of Processing Activities (RoPA)

RoPA, Records of Processing Activities, Data map

A Record of Processing Activities (RoPA) is a documented inventory of how an organisation collects, uses, shares and stores personal data. It is a requirement under UK GDPR Article 30 and forms the foundation of a care provider’s data-protection compliance.

Registered Manager

RM

The individual registered with the CQC to be legally accountable for the day-to-day running of a regulated service. Most services must have a registered manager as a condition of registration.

Regulation 17: Good Governance

Reg 17

The requirement to have effective systems to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service, and to maintain accurate, complete records — the regulation most often cited when audit and oversight are weak.

RIDDOR

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

The 2013 regulations requiring employers to report specified workplace injuries, occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences to the Health and Safety Executive.

Safeguarding

The action taken to protect adults and children at risk of abuse or neglect, promoting their wellbeing while respecting their views and choices. Providers must have systems to prevent, identify and respond to abuse.

Skills for Care

The strategic workforce development and planning body for adult social care in England, providing standards, qualifications guidance and the Care Certificate framework.

Statement of Purpose

SOP

A document, required by the CQC, that sets out a provider’s aims and objectives, the regulated activities provided, and the locations from which they are delivered. It must be kept up to date and available to the CQC.

Supported accommodation quality standards

Ofsted supported accommodation, Supported accommodation regulations, Non-regulated provision

Supported accommodation quality standards are the standards that providers of supported accommodation for 16- and 17-year-olds in England must meet, set out in regulations and inspected by Ofsted since the introduction of mandatory registration.