Organisational Oversight
Governance Reviews
Independent assessment of your governance structures, quality assurance systems and leadership oversight to strengthen accountability, reduce risk and support Well-led CQC outcomes.
The Importance of Strong Governance
Governance That Drives Quality
Strong governance is not bureaucracy. It is the mechanism through which organisations stay safe, improve continuously and demonstrate accountability to those who rely on them and those who regulate them. Without effective governance, even services with dedicated, skilled staff are exposed to risk and regulatory vulnerability.
CQC's Well-led key question goes to the heart of governance. Inspectors increasingly look beyond individual operational areas to assess whether the provider has the systems, culture and leadership to provide sustainable quality. A service that is operationally good but poorly governed will struggle to maintain its position and may be more vulnerable to sudden deterioration.
AJG Advisory's governance review service provides an independent, experienced assessment of your governance arrangements. The review identifies structural weaknesses, cultural risks and system gaps, and provides a clear development plan to strengthen your governance framework.
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Review Areas
What We Assess
Provider-Level Oversight
Assessment of how effectively senior leadership and the provider organisation oversee service quality, risk and compliance across the organisation.
Quality Assurance Systems
Review of quality assurance frameworks, audit schedules, feedback mechanisms and how quality assurance evidence is used to drive improvement.
Risk Management
Assessment of risk registers, risk appetite, escalation processes and how operational and strategic risk is identified, managed and reported.
Incident and Complaint Learning
Review of incident management, serious incident processes, complaint handling and how lessons learned are embedded in practice and governance.
Clinical and Care Governance
Assessment of clinical governance structures, medication governance, infection prevention and control governance and care quality oversight.
Safeguarding Governance
Review of safeguarding governance arrangements, multi-agency working, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards management and leadership responsibility.
Culture and Leadership
Assessment of organisational culture, leadership visibility, staff engagement, speaking up arrangements and the lived experience of people using the service.
Continuous Improvement
Review of how the organisation identifies areas for improvement, acts on feedback, evidences progress and embeds a culture of learning and development.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a governance review in health and social care?
A governance review is an independent assessment of how well an organisation's systems and structures ensure quality, safety and accountability. It examines the mechanisms through which leadership monitors performance, manages risk, responds to incidents and drives continuous improvement. In health and social care, effective governance is a core CQC expectation under the Well-led key question.
How is a governance review different from a compliance audit?
A compliance audit examines whether specific regulatory requirements are being met at an operational level. A governance review looks at the structures, culture and systems through which the organisation provides oversight of those operational areas. Both are complementary, and many providers benefit from both. A governance review is particularly valuable when a service has operational compliance but lacks robust oversight mechanisms.
How long does a governance review take?
A thorough governance review typically takes two to three days, including document review, leadership interviews and analysis. The written report is usually delivered within ten working days. For larger or more complex organisations, additional time may be required.
Can a governance review help prepare for a CQC Well-led inspection?
Yes. The Well-led key question is increasingly central to CQC assessment and is often where providers with otherwise strong operational practice lose marks. A governance review directly addresses the evidence, structures and culture that CQC inspectors assess under Well-led, helping providers understand their position and address gaps before inspection.
Do you carry out governance reviews for multi-site providers?
Yes. Governance reviews are available at both individual service level and at provider or group level. For multi-site providers, a group-level governance review assesses how effectively central leadership oversees multiple services, identifies inconsistencies and supports development of a cohesive governance framework.
Commission a Review
Strengthen Your Governance
Speak with AJG Advisory to discuss your organisation's governance needs and how an independent review could benefit you.
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