The care sector in England is under strain, and confidence in the systems designed to oversee it is starting to fracture. The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the country’s statutory regulator, is facing growing criticism over delays, backlogs and a perceived failure to provide timely or consistent oversight. Concerns are growing about a lack of independence and conflicts of interest. Providers and families alike are asking whether the current model is still fit for purpose.
At the start of 2025, the CQC reported a backlog of around 5,000 unresolved Notifications of Concern, alerts raised by care workers, managers and members of the public about potential safeguarding or service quality issues. Many of these have yet to be investigated. Alongside this, research conducted by Care Inspections UK (CiUK), the UK’s only UKAS-accredited independent care inspection body, found that thousands of care homes are still waiting for their first full inspection since the start of the pandemic. The data analysed earlier this year revealed that more than 6,000 care homes in England had not received a comprehensive review since before 2020.
Political pressure is also mounting. Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the CQC in 2024 as not fit for purpose, pointing to inconsistent standards and slow responses to concerns. The regulator’s inspection framework has been criticised for relying too heavily on historic data, with many providers waiting months for reports to be published, leaving families and residents with limited visibility into the current quality of care.
In this context, Care Inspections UK (CIUK) has begun to attract attention. CIUK offers a model that operates alongside regulation, focusing on improving care outcomes, not through condemnation but through evidence-based feedback and genuine support.
The delays and backlogs plaguing the CQC have real consequences. Providers report waiting up to four months to receive inspection reports, during which time avoidable problems can escalate. In an environment where timely intervention is crucial, these lags leave providers vulnerable and families uninformed.
“The implications for residents and their families are deeply troubling,” said Kevin Groombridge, chief executive at Care Inspections UK. “The government needs to get real about the fundamentally flawed CQC. Not only is it monumentally behind, but its metrics are skewed. It bases ratings on subjective and biased opinions rather than rigorous evidence and data. It leaves care home operators out in the cold, offering criticism without support.”
CiUK’s model has been shaped in response to these systemic issues. The organisation delivers reports quickly and focuses on practical outcomes, ensuring that providers are given the tools to respond to challenges rather than being criticised and left hanging. Its inspections are rooted in real-world evidence and led by professionals with direct experience in health and social care.
To better support providers, CiUK launched a subscription-based inspection service in 2025. The model allows care homes to choose from three tiers: Silver, Gold and Platinum, depending on their operational needs, size and ambitions for improvement.
At its core, the service aims to make external inspection and feedback continuous rather than reactive. Regular visits, personalised action plans, and fast turnaround reports offer providers a clearer view of where they stand and what to improve. For many, it is the first time they have had access to consistent, expert feedback without the anxiety of regulatory penalties.
“We know from experience that care improves when providers are supported, not just scrutinised,” said Groombridge.
“Our role is to give them the information and advice they need to deliver better outcomes, not to catch them out.”
Uptake of the service has grown steadily, with providers reporting greater confidence in their ability to prepare for statutory inspections, engage staff and demonstrate quality to families.
CiUK’s work has also led it to call for broader reform. Central to its message is the idea that inspection and regulation should be distinct functions. The current system, it argues, conflates enforcement with evaluation, creating a culture of fear rather than improvement.
“Inspection and regulation should not be conflated,” said Groombridge. “Providers deserve fair, expert evaluation from professionals who understand the nuances of care, not just box ticking. The current system is broken. It is time for a more intelligent approach.”
CiUK believes that accredited, independent inspection bodies can play a key role in a more responsive system in which a statutory regulator focuses on enforcement and governance. At the same time, trusted inspectors provide frequent, meaningful insight to help services improve.
What makes CiUK’s approach distinctive is the people behind it. Its inspection teams include former regulators, clinicians and sector leaders who bring practical understanding to their assessments. This experience allows them to identify risks others might miss and to offer relevant, achievable and compassionate advice.
“What sets us apart is our people,” said Groombridge. “We know what good care looks like because we have delivered it ourselves. We don’t just tell providers where issues must be addressed; we help them fix them.”
As confidence in the traditional system wavers, CiUK’s approach is gaining attention across the care sector. Providers, sector advocates and policy thinkers are beginning to support the idea that care quality should be driven by consistency, expertise and collaboration, not by fear of punitive visits or bureaucratic standards.
Subscription-based inspection is no longer being seen as a nice thing. For many, it is becoming essential in a landscape where regulatory visibility is patchy and expectations are high.
Legislative change will take time, but CiUK is already demonstrating what a more balanced, supportive future could look like, one where quality care is not just demanded but enabled.
CiUK’s recent growth points to something bigger than business success. It reflects a growing belief that the care sector deserves better tools, better systems and better support. For a sector long overshadowed by uncertainty and underinvestment, this may finally be a step in the right direction.
