CQC doesn't publish a course list. What Regulation 18 requires, what inspectors look for, and how CQC's 2026 framework changes affect you.
CQC does not publish a list of required courses. It requires your staff to be qualified, competent, skilled and experienced enough to meet people's needs, and it expects you to prove it. The requirement comes from Regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
What does Regulation 18 say about training?
Regulation 18(2) says staff must receive the support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal they need for their role. CQC's guidance adds that providers must run an induction programme that prepares staff for their role, and must support staff to gain further qualifications where appropriate.
CQC cannot prosecute a breach of Regulation 18, but it can take regulatory action, including warning notices and conditions on registration. It must also refuse registration to a provider that cannot show it will comply.
What do inspectors look for?
Inspectors test training from several angles. They read your records, usually a training matrix showing who has done what and when refreshers are due. They look for evidence of competence through observed practice, especially for medicines and moving people. They talk to staff, to find out whether care workers can explain safeguarding, infection control or what to do in a fire. They check whether incidents, falls or medication errors point to training gaps. And they look at supervision, to see whether learning is followed up in one-to-ones and appraisals.
Is CQC's inspection framework changing in 2026?
Yes. In March 2026 CQC published a draft adult social care framework that replaces the 34 quality statements with 24 key lines of enquiry and drops numerical scoring. Consultation closed on 12 June 2026. CQC piloted the new framework between June and October 2026 and plans to evaluate it in November, but it has not confirmed a go-live date. Until it does, the Single Assessment Framework still applies. The five key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive, well-led) stay the same under both.
Will the new framework change training requirements?
Not the legal requirement. Regulation 18 stays the same, so the duty to train staff and evidence their competence does not change. What may change is how inspectors frame their questions and how they reach ratings.
