Providers can request a review of the quality control processes followed when an assessment results in a rating being published.

It is not a further opportunity for reconsideration of the evidence or judgements made, unless we find an error in the quality control process.

Ground for review

The rating assurance process review comes after the factual accuracy check process is complete and ratings are published.

The only ground for requesting a rating process assurance review is that we have failed to follow our process for making rating decisions.

You cannot ask for a review on the basis that you disagree solely with our judgements, reasoning, the score or rating awarded.

Any request for a review must relate to the latest assessment that has awarded a rating. We cannot consider references or comparisons to previous ratings or those for other providers or services.

It is not a process for raising complaints or making representations in relation to enforcement actions.

How to request a rating process review

There will be a link to our online form when we confirm that a final report and rating is being published.

You can only submit a review request by using our online form.

This form must be completed by either the:

• registered manager
• nominated individual
• chief executive (NHS trusts or local authority only)
• named liaison person (local authority only)

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

Your request should provide details of how you consider the quality control process was not properly followed. There is a limit of 500 words for a request for review.

The review process

We will display a message on the relevant profile page on our website to show a review is taking place. The rating will remain published on the website.

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

This involves checking if we followed the correct quality control processes when awarding the scoring and ratings. We do not reconsider the evidence or judgements made. In practice this means checking that:

• our teams carried out the relevant checks of the scores and associated ratings before publishing them
• providers had the opportunity to check the factual accuracy
• any challenges from the provider were properly considered before we published the assessment.

As we will look at the processes followed in awarding the score and rating, our review may extend to scores or ratings you received at the same time. You may not consider these need reconsideration. All scores and ratings can go down as well as up as a result of a review.

If the grounds for review are not met we will refuse the request and write to you to explain why.

If the grounds for review are met, an independent reviewer will review the aspects of the process that were not followed correctly. This independent reviewer is either:

• a member of staff not involved in the original assessment or
• an external reviewer if their expertise is relevant to your request.

The independent reviewer will make a recommendation to an appropriate CQC deputy director in Operations. They will make the final decision.

We aim to complete all reviews within 50 working days.

Once the review is complete, we'll let you know the outcome.

We'll make the appropriate changes to the score or 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.

Complaints and appeals

If you have also made a complaint or are 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.