Free · monthly assurance · no email required
The manager's monthly audit plan
These are the 22 audits our library recommends running every month, and what each one covers. Use it as a month planner: decide who runs each audit and when, and you have a programme rather than a pile of good intentions.
No sign-up, no call, nothing to unsubscribe from. 22 items. Written for England, reviewed 5 September 2026.
How to use it
Tick the first box when the audit is done for the month. Tick the second where it slipped. Two months of second ticks in the same row is the conversation to have at your governance meeting.
People and their care
- 1 Care OverviewAdmission, care planning, moving and handling, pressure care, behaviour that challenges, activities, religious and spiritual needs, end of life.
- 2 Residents' filesA sample of six files checked for the documents that must be present and current.
- 3 Nutrition and HydrationScreening and assessment, care planning, food and fluid monitoring, special diets and allergens, the mealtime experience, staff competence.
- 4 Continence and Catheter CareContinence assessment and planning, urinary catheter care, bowel care and constipation, infection prevention and recording, dignity and competence.
- 5 Pressure Ulcer PreventionRisk assessment on admission and review, skin inspection and body maps, repositioning and equipment, nutrition and hydration links, escalation and referrals.
- 6 Wound and Skin IntegrityThe wound register, treatment and dressing records, staff competency, escalation, safeguarding and learning.
- 7 ActivitiesPlanning and leadership, observation of activities, resident choice and inclusion, community links, records and care plans.
- 8 Dignity (residents and staff)Communication, empathy and compassion, personalised care, social interaction, food and drink, end of life, recruiting for values, learning from experience.
Safety and clinical risk
- 9 SafeguardingFifteen areas from governance and culture to financial safeguarding and provider oversight. The free Safeguarding assurance guide summarises all fifteen.
- 10 MedicationStorage and security, MAR and administration records, controlled drugs, PRN and variable dose, covert medicines and consent, errors and near misses, training and competency.
- 11 Accidents and IncidentsImmediate response, records, falls and injuries, investigation and root cause, notifications and safeguarding, trend analysis and governance.
- 12 Mental Capacity and Deprivation of LibertyCapacity assessments, best interests decisions, consent, restraint and restrictive practice, DoLS, staff understanding and governance.
- 13 Infection controlCleaning and disinfection, protective clothing, laundry, waste, pest control, infection control procedures.
- 14 Health and SafetyFire safety and evacuation, water safety and legionella, electrical and gas, COSHH, moving and handling equipment, security and personal safety, statutory checks and records.
Premises and services
- 15 Kitchen and mealtime observationFood hygiene, cleanliness, chemicals, equipment, fire and electrical safety, pest control, protective clothing, waste.
- 16 Laundry and housekeepingThe environment, plus a sample of bedding, tablecloths, clothing, towels and face cloths.
- 17 Maintenance and groundsBoiler, electrical system, fire systems, passenger lift, hoists and mobility equipment, water system controls, radiators, windows, internal and external areas.
- 18 UtilitiesThe inspection evidence for the services the building depends on.
Workforce and governance
- 19 Staff filesA sample of six files checked for the recruitment and employment documents that must be present.
- 20 TrainingA coverage matrix showing what each role has completed and what is outstanding.
- 21 Supervision and AppraisalSupervision policy and planning, quality of supervision, observed practice and competence, appraisal and development, oversight.
- 22 Quality, complaints and complimentsComplaints, compliments and quality assurance in one review.
What a checklist cannot do
A checklist tells you where you stand today. It does not hold the evidence, keep the actions moving, or show anyone what changed since last month.
- The New provider pack, £99 one-off, runs the 27 registration questions as a scored audit you can re-run, with the evidence expected for each, a Statement of Purpose template, a core policy starter set and a 30-minute call.
- The Digital Compliance Hub, from £29 a month, runs all 23 modules and 1,106 questions: evidence attached to the finding that needed it, every action with an owner and a date, and governance reports drawn from real audit data.
See plans and what is in the pack · Registration support with a person
More free checklists: Registration readiness Safeguarding assurance