Job IntroductionQuality Assurance Officer
Salary £30,000 - £35,000 + £2400 car allowance
Full time office based in Alderley Park, Macclesfield with regular travel to site throughout the UK
Free parking
37.5 hours per week
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Closing date for applications: 30th June 2026
Role Overview
The Quality Assurance Officer is responsible for driving measurable and sustained improvements in quality, safety and outcomes across the organisation, ensuring services consistently meet and exceed regulatory standards and support Gray Healthcare’s ambition to achieve and sustain CQC Outstanding ratings.
The post holder will:
- Provide robust governance assurance in line with Regulation 17 (Good Governance)
- Deliver independent scrutiny and professional challenge to operational and clinical teams
- Ensure quality assurance activity translates into measurable improvements in outcomes for people we support
- Embed a culture of continuous learning, accountability and reduced variation
- Ensure all quality assurance activity produces a clear, auditable evidence trail demonstrating compliance, improvement and impact
This role is not limited to audit and compliance — it is a key driver of organisational improvement and evidence of impact
Key Responsibilities
1. Governance, Assurance and Regulatory Compliance
- Embed and deliver a robust quality assurance framework aligned with CQC standards (Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, Well-led)
- Conduct independent audits, including “check the checker” audits, to validate first-line assurance
- Provide clear, evidence-based assurance to senior leadership on quality, risk and compliance
- Apply a risk-based approach, prioritising high-risk services, individuals and practice areas
- Ensure feedback from the people we support, and families is used to shape improvement and evidence impact
2. Driving Measurable Improvement
Ensure all QA activity results in:
- Demonstrable improvements in care quality and safety
- Reduction in risk, incidents and restrictive practice
- Improved outcomes and quality of life for people supported
Additional responsibilities:
- Track before-and-after impact of interventions and improvement actions
- Escalate where improvement is not achieved and implement further action
3. Audit, Analysis and Insight
Conduct detailed audits of:
- Care plans
- Risk assessments
- PRN usage
- Incident and safeguarding records
- Clinical decision-making and documentation quality
Analyse trends across:
- Incidents and risks
- Medication use (including PRN)
- Safeguarding and restrictive practice
- Translate data into clear insight that drives decision-making and improvement
4. Risk Identification, Escalation and Mitigation
- Identify early signs of risk, deterioration and poor practice
Ensure risks are:
- Clearly documented
- Appropriately escalated
- Actively mitigated and monitored
- Support accurate and dynamic risk registers and governance reporting
5. Embedding Person-Centred and Least Restrictive Practice
- Ensure care and supportis:
- Person-centred, evidence-based and outcome-focused
- Challengepractice where:
- PRN or restrictive interventions are overused
- Promote:
- Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)
- De-escalation and preventative strategies
- Evidence that:
- Alternatives to restrictive practices are consistently applied
6. Strengthening Practice and Accountability
- Provide constructive challengeand professional scrutiny to:
- Service Managers
- Clinical Teams
- Hold teams accountable for:
- Quality standards
- Timely completion of actions
- Sustained improvement
- Supportimprovement through:
- Coaching
- Feedback
- Targeted follow-up audits
7. Learning Culture and Continuous Improvement
- Identify, share and embed learning from incidents, audits and reviews
Promote a culture of:
- Open and transparent practice
- Reflective learning
- Continuous improvement
Ensure learning is:
- Translated into practice changes
- Embedded across all services
8. Action Planning and Delivery
Produce clear, structured audit reports including:
- Risks
- Actions
- Owners
- Timescales
- Measurable success criteria
- Monitor delivery of action plans through to completion and embedded practice change
- Escalate delayed or ineffective actions through governance routes
9. Organisational Consistency and Quality Improvement
- Reduce variation in quality across services
Ensure consistent standards in:
- Care planning
- Risk management
- Documentation
- Supportservices to move from:Reactive
*
- proactive care deliveryEssential Skills & Experience
- Experience in a Quality Assurance / Governance role within Health & Social Care
- Strong understanding of CQC regulations and inspection frameworks
- Proven ability to:
- Analyse complex data
- Identify risks and trends
- Drive measurable improvement
- Strong attention to detail and ability to challenge poor practice
- Excellent communication and report-writing skills
- Experience working with complex needs, PBS and person-centred care
- Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities
- Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel
Desirable Qualifications & Experience
- Professional qualification in Quality Assurance, Clinical Governance, or Health & Social Care
- OR demonstrable experience in audit, compliance or regulatory oversight
- Experience supporting services to achieve CQC Good or Outstanding ratings
- Knowledge of Regulation 17 (Good Governance) and audit frameworks
- Experience contributing to audit cycles, service reviews and improvement plan
Benefits
- Highly competitive salary
- Free parking
- Company pension
- Professional development
- Westfield Cashplan & Rewards
- Blue Light Card
Why Join Gray Healthcare
Gray Healthcare is a specialist Health and Social Care provider. We support people with Learning Disabilities, Autism, Mental Health conditions, Acquired Brain Injury, and Emotional Complex Needs to transition safely and successfully from inpatient and community settings back into their own homes and communities.
Our approach is founded on person-centred care, clinical expertise, and measurable outcomes, enabling individuals to regain control, independence, and quality of life within their own environment.
We design and deliver bespoke support packages for each individual, led by a dedicated multidisciplinary team and adapted to meet both current and future needs. Our focus is not only on stability, but on progression, independence, and reducing long-term reliance on restrictive environments.
We are committed to delivering safe, effective, and outcome-focused care, underpinned by continuous improvement, strong governance, and a culture of learning. Our services are designed to demonstrate clear evidence of impact, including improved wellbeing, reduced risk, and successful community integration.
At Gray Healthcare, we are passionate about delivering exceptional care and Outstanding outcomes. Our commitment to quality and transparency is reflected in our Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings and inspection reports, available on our website.
Work Location: In person
