Compliance5 min read24 February 2026

CIW vs CQC: What's the Difference?

A clear guide to the differences between Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for domiciliary care agencies.

If you run a domiciliary care agency in the UK, you're regulated by either CIW (Care Inspectorate Wales) or CQC (Care Quality Commission) — depending on where you operate. Here's what you need to know about both.

CIW — Care Inspectorate Wales

CIW regulates and inspects care services in Wales under the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016.

Key requirements for domiciliary care:

Statement of purpose and service user guide

Personal plans (care plans) for every individual

Accurate medication records

Staff training and qualification records

DBS checks for all staff

Incident and safeguarding reporting

Quality of care reviews

Inspection approach: CIW inspections can be announced or unannounced. Inspectors review documentation, interview staff and clients, and observe care delivery.

CQC — Care Quality Commission

CQC regulates health and social care services in England under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Key areas (Key Lines of Enquiry):

Safe — Are people protected from abuse and avoidable harm?

Effective — Does care achieve good outcomes?

Caring — Are people treated with kindness and respect?

Responsive — Is care organised around individual needs?

Well-led — Is leadership effective and the culture open?

Rating system: CQC rates services as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate.

Key Differences

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What This Means for Your Software

Whether you're regulated by CIW or CQC, you need the same fundamental capabilities:

Accurate, timestamped care records

Electronic medication management

Incident reporting with audit trails

Staff training and DBS tracking

Care plan management with review dates

CareCallAI covers both regulators, with specific features tailored to CIW (Wales) and CQC (England) requirements.

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