Check the scope
Registered providers and managers carrying on regulated activities in England. The practical arrangements should reflect the setting and the people using the service.
What the law requires
- Treat people receiving services with dignity and respect. This includes protecting their privacy and supporting their autonomy, independence and involvement in the community.
- Have due regard to relevant protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 when meeting the dignity and respect requirements.
- The duty concerns how care is delivered as well as the written plan. Organisational routines should not displace the person’s rights and individuality.
What CQC expects
- CQC guidance expects respectful communication, the person’s preferred form of address and support to understand what is happening. Staff should respond to individual needs without discrimination.
- Personal care, discussions and records should protect privacy. People should receive support to maintain relationships, make choices and participate in ordinary activities where appropriate.
Suggested checks for your review
- With appropriate consent and safeguards, observe routine interactions and consider whether the person has time, privacy and a meaningful opportunity to choose.
- Walk through reception, treatment and care areas to check whether conversations or personal information can be overheard or seen unnecessarily.
- Ask people about a recent choice or concern and compare their account with staff explanations and the recorded response.
Illustrative evidence
Choose evidence relevant to the actual service and risk. These examples are not a universal list of documents required by CQC.
- Preferences about communication, privacy and personal care reflected in daily practice.
- Records of reasonable adjustments and support for independence or relationships.
- Feedback and observations showing how staff responded to a dignity concern.
Potential gaps to check
- Polite language masks a routine in which staff make all decisions without involving the person.
- Privacy measures are documented but fail during handovers, personal care or conversations in shared spaces.
- Requests linked to identity or communication needs are repeatedly recorded without a practical response.
Sources and review
- cqc.org.uk — Regulation 10 (opens in a new tab)
- legislation.gov.uk — Uksi · 2014 · 2936 · regulation · 10 (opens in a new tab)
Content version: 1 November 2026. Next planned review 1 December 2026. Check current primary sources before relying on a requirement.
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Add a non-confidential action or evidence reference to your own working plan.
Open the evidence workbenchRelated guidance and next steps
Content version: . Named expert review remains pending for public launch.