News
CQC, NICE and government updates
Pulled live from cqc.org.uk, nice.org.uk and gov.uk so you can see what the regulator, NICE and the Department of Health and Social Care have published recently. Every headline links straight to the official page.
For inspectors
Accounts with the inspector role get a dashboard combining the latest CQC enforcement notices with upcoming inspection and review dates.
Open the inspector dashboardCQC updates and guidance changes
Straight from CQC's official guidance and news feeds, newest first, so this list refreshes itself as CQC publishes.
- CQC guidance · 15 October 2026Joint targeted area inspections of the response to younger children living with neglectGuidance for joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs) of the multi-agency response to younger children living with neglect.
- CQC guidance · 15 October 2026Joint targeted area inspection of the multi-agency response to identification of initial need and riskGuidance for inspectors carrying out a JTAI of the multi-agency response to the identification of initial need and risk (often referred to as the ‘front door’).
- CQC guidance · 6 October 2026Area SEND inspections: information about ongoing inspectionsGuides for parents, carers, children and young people about inspections of local services for children and young people with SEND.
- CQC news · 2 April 2026New visits to report on the ‘local offer’ for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have today published guidance for the next series of area SEND thematic visits.
- CQC guidance · 2 April 2026Thematic reviews of the SEND local offerHow Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will conduct thematic visits to local areas focusing on the education, health and social care provisions available for children and young people with SEND as outlined in the l…
- CQC guidance · 1 April 2026Inspecting secure training centres: frameworkThe framework and evaluation schedule for inspection of secure training centres, for use from 1 April 2026.
- CQC news · 21 January 2026Children not always recognised as domestic abuse victims in their own right, inspectorates warnChildren who are affected by domestic abuse are not being consistently recognised as victims despite this being set out in law, according to a new joint report by Ofsted, the CQC, HMICFRS, and HMIP.
- CQC guidance · 14 January 2026Joint targeted area inspections of the response to child sexual abuse in the family environmentGuidance for joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs) of the multi-agency response to child sexual abuse in the family environment.
- CQC news · 11 December 2025Support for children with SEND who are not in school is inconsistent, inspectorates warnA report by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) finds that support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who do not attend school full-time is too inconsistent.
- CQC news · 21 October 2025Government cuts red tape to revolutionise public services with cutting-edge techThe government has announced it is slashing the red tape that holds back groundbreaking innovations from coming to market.
- CQC news · 10 September 2025Joint targeted area inspections to focus on child sexual abuse in the family environmentStarting in the autumn of 2025, inspections will consider local areas’ multi-agency responses to child sexual abuse in the family environment.
- CQC news · 31 July 2025Urgent notification issued for Oakhill STC after inspectors find profound and systemic failuresIn response to the serious risk of harm to children, Ofsted, CQC and HMI Prisons have issued an urgent notification about Oakhill STC to the Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP.
CQC enforcement and inspection announcements
CQC press releases, including action taken to protect people and published rating changes. Useful for seeing what inspectors are focusing on.
- CQC press release · 22 October 2026Flux and fracture: CQC warns of fast-changing social care market while inequalities persist across health and careThis year's State of Care reports on a social care market in flux, changing shape rapidly but without a clear destination.
- CQC press release · 22 October 2026CQC takes action to protect people at Doncaster care homeThe Care Quality Commission (CQC) has downgraded the rating of Anchor House in Doncaster, from requires improvement to inadequate and placed it in special measures to protect people following an inspection in September.
- CQC press release · 22 October 2026CQC rates leadership at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust as requires improvementThe Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated leadership at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust as requires improvement following an inspection in May.
- CQC press release · 22 October 2026CQC rates Sheffield home care and supported living service as outstanding at first inspectionThe Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated two services run by Seven Steps Support Limited in Sheffield, as outstanding following their first inspection in September.
- CQC press release · 22 October 2026CQC rates Nottingham care home outstanding in first inspectionThe Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Sherwood, a care home in Nottingham, as outstanding following an inspection in August.
- CQC press release · 21 October 2026CQC rates Chichester care home outstandingThe Care Quality Commission has upgraded the rating of Cornelius House from good to outstanding following an inspection in June.
- CQC press release · 21 October 2026CQC rates Wolverhampton care home inadequate for second timeThe Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Ashley Court Care Limited in Wolverhampton as inadequate and kept it in special measures to keep people safe following an inspection in July.
- CQC press release · 21 October 2026CQC downgrades rating of Grimsby care home and places it in special measures to protect peopleThe Care Quality Commission (CQC) has downgraded the rating of Yarborough House RCH in Grimsby from requires improvement to inadequate, following an inspection in July.
- CQC press release · 21 October 2026CQC finds improvements needed in Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust high secure hospitalThe Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Rampton high secure hospital run by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as requires improvement again following an inspection in April.
- CQC press release · 21 October 2026CQC finds improvements in services run by London North West University Healthcare NHS TrustThe Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found improvements in urgent and emergency care services at Ealing Hospital in Southall and Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, both run by London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust in July 2026.
Latest NICE guidance
The newest published NICE guidance and quality standards. Much of it is written for the NHS, so check the scope of a guideline before applying it in your service.
- NICE TA1203 · 27 October 2026Olezarsen for treating familial chylomicronaemia syndrome
- NICE TA1204 · 27 October 2026Plozasiran for treating familial chylomicronaemia syndrome
- NICE HTG701 · 23 October 2026Virtual reality technologies for treating agoraphobia or agoraphobic avoidance: early value assessment
- NICE HTG712 · 23 October 2026Digital technologies for managing non-specific low back pain: early value assessment
- NICE HTG676 · 23 October 2026Digitally enabled therapies for adults with anxiety disorders: early value assessment
- NICE HTG713 · 23 October 2026Digital health technologies to help manage symptoms of psychosis and prevent relapse in adults and young people: early value assessment
- NICE HTG739 · 23 October 2026Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to help detect fractures on X-rays in urgent care: early value assessment
- NICE HTG784 · 21 October 2026XVIVO Perfusion System (ex-situ machine perfusion) for assessing and reconditioning marginal lungs for transplantation: early-use assessment
- NICE TA1202 · 20 October 2026Trastuzumab deruxtecan for treating HER2-positive unresectable or metastatic breast cancer after 1 or more lines of anti-HER2 treatment
- NICE TA1200 · 16 October 2026Insulin efsitora alfa for treating type 2 diabetes
Government health and social care updates
News, press releases and guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care — policy changes, funding and workforce announcements that affect providers.
- DHSC guidance · 27 October 2026DHSC public appointments: 2026 to 2027Non-executive appointments to the Department of Health and Social Care's public bodies and committees from April 2026 to March 2027.
- DHSC guidance · 27 October 2026Prevent: guidance for NHS mental health servicesHow those working in NHS mental health services can help reduce the risk of radicalisation in children, young people and adults.
- DHSC news · 23 October 2026Steps to Safety initiative introduced in 12 areas across EnglandPhase 1 of Steps to Safety will enable GP practices across 12 areas in England to connect people experiencing domestic abuse with specialist support.
- DHSC press release · 23 October 2026New mental health pilot for young people supported by social careYoung people supported by social care in Greater Manchester are set to benefit from a new mental health pilot.
- DHSC press release · 22 October 2026Social media campaign urges Brits to get vaccinated for winterGovernment launches a social media campaign to promote a new NHS App feature which helps people check their eligibility and book their flu vaccination.
- DHSC guidance · 22 October 2026NHS continuing healthcare decision support toolScreening tool to help identify individuals who may need a referral for a full assessment of eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare.
- DHSC press release · 21 October 2026Faster clinical trials bring cutting-edge treatments to patientsPatients are set to receive cutting-edge treatments as the government hits its ambitious target to speed up clinical trials.
- DHSC press release · 21 October 2026Cosmetic cowboys crackdown continues with new restrictionsThe government's crackdown on cosmetic cowboys intensifies with restrictions on high-risk procedures.
- DHSC guidance · 20 October 2026NHS continuing healthcare fast track pathway toolIdentify individuals who need to be fast tracked for immediate provision of NHS continuing healthcare.
- DHSC guidance · 20 October 2026NHS continuing healthcare checklistScreening tool to help identify individuals who may need a referral for a full assessment of eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare.
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