Over 240 North East care homes yet to undergo CQC inspection since 2021
Significant number of facilities remain unchecked
New information has revealed that more than a third of care homes in the North East have not been inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) since 2021.
Data shows 242 out of 688 registered care homes in the region, equating to 35%, have not undergone a full inspection by the CQC in the past five years.
The situation reflects a national trend where over 5,400 of the UK's 13,475 care homes registered by early 2026 have similarly not been inspected since 2021.
Dr Kevin Groombridge, Chief Executive of the independent inspection firm CIUK, highlighted this issue as a serious concern.
Groombridge said, “The backlog in care home inspections remains a serious concern. How can families feel confident that their loved ones are receiving the care they deserve if inspections are not taking place regularly?”
While acknowledging the hard work of the majority of adult social care providers and their staff, Groombridge pointed out the essential need for continuous oversight and accountability.
In response, the CQC emphasised its commitment to monitoring information from various sources, including local councils, safeguarding teams, relatives, and whistleblowers.
Chris Badger, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care at the CQC, addressed the need for increasing the rate of their assessments.
Badger said, “We know that we need to increase our rate of assessments to make sure that we update the ratings of providers and give the public confidence in quality of care.”
Badger noted that since accepting recommendations from a review chaired by Penny Dash, the CQC has worked diligently to enhance its role in ensuring high-quality care and supporting improvements among providers.
The CQC aims to meet assessment targets agreed with the Department of Health and Social Care and has been consulting widely on future changes to its assessment processes.