What Do CQC Ratings Mean?
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects GP practices, dentists, care homes and other registered providers in England. After each inspection, the CQC publishes an overall rating plus detailed findings. Here is what the headline ratings mean in plain English.
The service is performing exceptionally well — the highest rating the CQC awards.
The service is performing well and meeting expectations. Most rated providers in England are Good.
The service is not performing as well as it should and must improve in specific areas.
The service is performing badly and the CQC has taken enforcement action or is monitoring closely.
What the CQC actually inspects
Inspectors assess five key questions: Is the service safe? Effective? Caring? Responsive to people's needs? And well-led? The overall rating reflects performance across these areas — read the full inspection report on the CQC website for the detail behind the headline score.
"Not yet rated"
Newly registered providers often appear as not yet rated until their first inspection is completed. This is not a fail — it simply means the CQC has not published a rating yet.
Ratings on this site are sourced from the CQC open data API. Browse ratings by area or search by postcode.