Quality assurance

Quality assurance is the routine checking that a service meets set standards.

Updated 12 October 2026 (1 minute read)

Summary

  • It works through inspection, audit and monitoring of results.
  • In England the Care Quality Commission inspects and rates health and care services.
  • Quality improvement is the next step. It tests changes to make a service better than the standard requires.
  • For an individual doctor, appraisal every year and revalidation every five years do the same job.

Interview questions

  • How does the NHS check that care is safe?
  • What is the difference between quality assurance and quality improvement?
  • Why should doctors have to prove they are still fit to practise?

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