Recommendation COVID-M6.5: Regulatory Inspection Protocols in an Emergency
From Module 6: Care Sector, published 20 October 2026.
Recommendation
The Care Quality Commission in England, Care Inspectorate Wales, the Care Inspectorate in Scotland and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority in Northern Ireland should each develop adaptable protocols for carrying out on-site, hybrid and remote inspections in a future public health emergency.
These protocols should be guided by the core principle of continuing on-site inspections where possible. They should also clearly identify processes to minimise:
the risk of transmission when on-site inspections are carried out; and
the risk of safeguarding issues going unidentified where remote or hybrid inspections are carried out.
Regulators should regularly review these protocols to ensure that they remain practical and effective.
Government response
No formal government response published. The Welsh Government had not published a response to the Module 6 report of 20 October 2026 when its page of responses to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry module reports on GOV.WALES was checked on 20 October 2026.
No formal government response published. The Scottish Government had not published a response to the Module 6 report of 20 October 2026 when its collection of responses to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on gov.scot was checked on 20 October 2026.
No formal government response published. The Northern Ireland Executive had not published a response to the Module 6 report of 20 October 2026 when the Executive Office's publications list was checked on 20 October 2026.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from CQC has been found in the sources searched (last checked 20 October 2026). This is separate from the response above.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Welsh Government
Response - Scottish Government
Response - Northern Ireland Executive
Response