Our CQC Inspection – A New Approach and A Positive Experience

For over a year, we have been chasing for an inspection, eager to receive our first official CQC rating. Not having a rating has been a frustrating barrier, particularly as it prevented us from joining the local council’s new framework.  

Sadly, this meant that some of our clients were moved to other providers who were already eligible. We knew we were delivering high-quality, person-centred care, and we just needed the opportunity to prove it. 

Since opening, I have been persistently following up with CQC, asking when our inspection would take place. I don’t know how common it is for a provider to be so eager for their inspection, but we knew we were ready and wanted to move forward. 

Recently, CQC reached out with an unexpected but exciting opportunity, to take part in a new remote inspection process they were trialling in our area. Instead of a traditional on-site visit, the inspection would be conducted remotely, and we were asked whether we could provide access to certain parts of our system. 

For us, it was a no-brainer. Of course, we said yes! 

We’ve always taken great pride in the way we actively review and audit our service in real-time, so we had nothing to prepare or rush to fix. Everything was already in place, and we were more than happy to provide immediate access. 

The call came on a Tuesday, just as our Registered Manager, Philippa, was on annual leave. In the past, this might have been a cause for panic, but not for us. 

The way we have structured Apollo Care Blackpool means that everything runs smoothly regardless of who is on leave. We don’t wait for inspections to check if things are in place, we know they already are. This is a testament to how well our service is managed and how fantastic Philippa is as a leader. 

This was such a stark contrast to my previous experiences in national care companies, where CQC inspections often felt stressful and chaotic, not because of CQC themselves (I’ve always found them to be fair and approachable), but because of how those companies reacted to inspections. 

I’ve worked at companies were, the day before an inspection, a whole compliance team would be sent in to rush last-minute fixes. That approach never made sense to me, if something needs doing, why wait until an inspection to put it right? Why not get it right from the start? 

At Apollo Care Blackpool, we’ve been able to implement our own way of working, where quality, transparency, and person-centred decision-making come first every single day, not just when an inspection is due. 

One of the most satisfying parts of this inspection was the feedback we received. We’ve had senior staff in the sector question our methods in the past, saying things like “CQC won’t be bothered about your auditing.”

Well, it turns out CQC loved everything they saw, especially our training and induction process. (Huge well done to Janine, our superstar trainer!)

For me, this was a massive confidence boost, not just as a first-time company owner going through an inspection, but also for Philippa, experiencing her first inspection as a Registered Manager.

This experience reinforced our belief that the way we run our service is the right way. Philippa has proven beyond doubt that what we do works, and I couldn’t be prouder.

The inspection is now complete, and we are expecting our draft report any day now. The verbal feedback we received was excellent, which makes us even more excited to see the outcome.

Regardless of the rating, what I am most proud of is the fact that we went into this inspection feeling prepared, confident, and calm, not because we were “inspection ready,” but because we are always ready.

This is how care should be.