Understanding CQC ratings for care homes
What is the CQC?
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates health and social care services in England. It assesses care homes and publishes ratings to help people understand the quality of care they provide.
A CQC rating can be a useful starting point when comparing care homes. It's also worth reading the full report, checking when it was published and visiting the home in person before making a decision.
What do CQC ratings mean for care homes?
The CQC gathers evidence from different sources when assessing a care home. This can include people's experiences, care records, information provided by the home and observations from visits. Every care home receives one of four ratings.
Outstanding
The service is performing exceptionally well.
Good
The service is performing well and meeting the CQC's expectations.
Requires improvement
The service is not performing as well as it should and improvements are needed.
Inadequate
The service is performing poorly and the CQC has taken, or may take, action.
How are ratings decided?
The CQC assesses services against five key areas to determine whether they are: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
Assessment teams speak to residents, relatives and staff, review care records and look at how care is delivered. Their findings are published online, providing an independent view of how a service is performing.
Ratings can help you compare care homes and understand how they support residents. They should be considered alongside the full report, any recent improvements and your own experience when visiting the home.
The five key questions every care home is assessed against
The CQC uses five key questions to assess every care home. Each one looks at a different part of the care people receive and how the service is run.
Safe
Are people protected from abuse and avoidable harm?
The CQC looks at areas such as safeguarding, staff recruitment, medicines management, infection prevention and how risks are identified and managed. A safe home works to prevent avoidable harm and responds quickly to concerns.
Effective
Does care support good outcomes?
This includes care planning, staff training, food and drink, pain management and how the home works with healthcare professionals. Effective care helps people maintain their health, independence and wellbeing
Caring
Are people treated with dignity, kindness and respect?
The CQC looks at how staff interact with residents and whether people feel listened to, valued and involved in decisions about their care.
Responsive
Does the home organise care around each person’s needs?
This includes how care is tailored to each individual, how changing needs are supported and whether meaningful activities are available. Responsive care recognises that no two people are the same.
Well-led
Is the home managed effectively?
The CQC reviews leadership, quality monitoring and how feedback is used to improve services. Well-led homes encourage a positive culture where residents, families and colleagues feel heard and supported.
What should I look for in a CQC report?
When reviewing a CQC rating, check:
- the overall rating - gives you a quick view of the home's performance.
- the publication date - shows when the CQC last published its findings.
- ratings for the five key questions - shows where the home is performing well and where improvements may be needed.
- the inspection report findings - explains the evidence behind the rating.
- any improvements made since inspection - helps you understand what may have improved since publication.
- your own impressions from visiting the home - gives you the opportunity to see the home and ask questions.
How to find and check a care home's CQC rating?
- 1. Visit CQC website - The CQC publishes ratings and inspection reports for care homes in England.
- 2. Search by care home name - Find a care home you're considering and open its latest report.
- 3. Review overall rating - shows where the home is performing well and where improvements may be needed.
- 4. Review five key question ratings - Look at how the home performs for safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness and leadership.
- 5. Read inspection report - See the evidence behind the rating and understand any areas for improvement.
- 6. Check report date - Ratings reflect the home at the time of inspection, so it's important to check how recent the report is.
How to use CQC ratings when choosing a care home
A CQC rating can be a useful starting point when comparing care homes, but it shouldn't be the only factor you consider. Reading the report, checking how recent it is and visiting the home can help you make a more informed decision.
Use it as a starting point, not the full picture
The overall rating gives a quick view of the home's performance, but the report provides more detail about strengths and areas for improvement.
Check how up to date the information is
A report published several years ago may not reflect the home's current performance.
Look beyond the overall rating
The five key questions can help you understand whether a home is strong in the areas most important to you or your loved one.
Read the reasons behind the rating
The inspection report includes examples of what inspectors found, including strengths and areas for improvement.
Ask what's changed since the inspection
The home may have made improvements since the report was published, so it's worth discussing any feedback with the team.
Visit the home in person
A visit lets you meet the team, observe daily life and ask questions about care, activities and support.
What should I consider when comparing care homes?
A rating is only one part of the picture. Visiting a home can help you understand what day-to-day life is really like, you should also consider:
- The types of care provided, including residential, nursing, dementia and respite care
- Any specialist support available
- Facilities and room options
- Activities and wellbeing programmes
- Location and accessibility
- Funding options
- Recent CQC reports and ratings
What questions should I ask during a care home visit?
If you're supporting someone to find care, our dedicated team can help you understand your options and answer any questions but it’s helpful to ask:
- What does the home do particularly well?
- Have there been any recent improvements following CQC feedback?
- How are residents involved in decisions about their care?
- How does the team communicate with families?
- How are care plans reviewed and updated?
Why are Bupa care homes highly rated?
Across our care homes in England, most are rated Good, with many achieving Outstanding ratings in one or more of the CQC's key assessment areas.
We review CQC feedback carefully and use it to improve our care. The action we take depends on the findings and may include additional training, extra clinical support or changes to the way a home works.
We focus on providing safe, personalised care that reflects what matters most to each resident. Our teams receive ongoing training in areas such as dementia care, safeguarding, infection prevention and medicines management.
Quality is reflected in everyday life across our homes:
- Meaningful activities including music, gardening, community outings and gentle exercise.
- Fresh, nutritious meals tailored to individual tastes, dietary requirements and cultural preferences. With a 24/7 light-bite menu available, we understand it's your home so you can follow your own routine.
- Open communication with families and a welcoming environment where residents feel respected and supported.
- Personalised care plans that evolve as needs and preferences change.
Find and compare Bupa care homes near you
You can search for a Bupa care home by town, postcode or region, or you can search our outstanding care homes . Each home profile includes information about the care available, facilities and the latest CQC rating where applicable.
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Help when you need it
Choosing a care home can be stressful, especially if you've never done it before. Where do you start? Well, right here. Our helpful, understanding care advisers offer free advice on anything from funding to finding just the right home.
Call a customer care adviser on 0345 600 4622^
Ask us to assess your situation and talk to you about paying for care, and how funding works.
Find care homes that might be right for you, and book one or more visits.
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