Inspection readiness should not begin when CQC makes contact. Good governance should already be able to show leaders what is working, where risk sits and whether improvement is holding.

Completed actions can create reassurance without proving that anything actually improved. Good governance separates completing the task from validating the change.

Audits can be complete, action plans closed and dashboards green while the reality on the floor tells a different story. Good governance must test whether assurance reflects practice.