Request a rating review

Grounds for review

The only grounds for requesting a rating review after completion of the factual accuracy process and publication are that we have failed to follow our process for making ratings decisions.

You cannot ask for a review of your ratings on the basis that you disagree with our judgements.

Any request for a review must relate solely to your latest final inspection report. We cannot consider references to previous reports or those for other providers.

How to request a review of ratings

All rating review requests must be submitted using our online form by one of:

• the registered manager
• the nominated individual
• the chief executive (NHS trusts only)

You must submit the request within 15 working days of the publication of the report, and you can only submit one request for an inspection report.

There is a limit of 500 words for a request for review across all the ratings you wish to challenge (except for larger NHS trusts and independent hospitals that provide several core services or have multiple locations).

You will find the link to the online form in the letter we send with your final report.

The review process

We will first consider whether your request meets the grounds for review.

If it does not meet these grounds then we'll refuse the request and write to you to explain why.

If it does meet the grounds, CQC staff not involved in the original inspection will review the aspects of the process that were not followed correctly.

As well as our own staff, we may use independent reviewers if their expertise is relevant to your request.

Our review may extend to ratings that you did not challenge. All ratings can go down as well as up as a result of a review.

During the review, we will display a message on the relevant profile page on our website to show it is taking place. The report will remain published on the website.

Complaints and appeals

If you are making a complaint against us or challenging our enforcement action, we will pause the review until these are complete.

We will let you know when we start to consider your request – this is usually once the complaint or challenge is complete (including any appeal to the First-tier Tribunal).

The review decision

Where the grounds for a rating review are met, a CQC Network Director or relevant Director in Regulatory Leadership makes the final decision.

Once the review is complete, we'll let you know the outcome. We aim to complete all reviews within 50 working days.

We'll make the appropriate changes to your report and ratings as a result of the review on our website as soon as possible.

The review is the final CQC process for challenging a rating. However, you can challenge the ratings elsewhere, such as by applying for a judicial review.