CQC’s approach to assessing IPC during Covid-19

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is going to be a feature of the CQC’s inspections over the coming months. From 6 October, the regulator started its transitional approach in adult social care and dental services, after the pause in routine inspections in March during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Covid-19 means the CQC can’t return to its fixed timetable or frequency rules on inspecting so it has started a managed return to inspection.

It will be conducting IPC “checks” on all of its care home inspections in future and, in addition to the 400 focused IPC inspections in adult social care carried out already, has committed to another 500 focused IPC inspections in care homes by the end of November.