What Commissioners Want to See in Your QA Systems

July 30, 2025

Quality assurance (QA) isn’t just an internal exercise — it’s a public commitment to continuous improvement. Commissioners want to see systems that don’t just record issues, but actively drive better outcomes for people using your service.

Why QA Systems Matter in Tenders

Trust: Demonstrates that quality is actively monitored, not just assumed.
Transparency: Shows that data and feedback are used to improve practice.
Compliance: Provides assurance that you meet regulatory and contractual standards.
Proactivity: Proves you spot and fix issues before they escalate.

Core Elements Commissioners Expect

Clear QA Policy: Outlines purpose, scope, responsibilities, and review process.
Audit Schedule: Details regular checks on care plans, incidents, staff training, and compliance areas.
Incident & Safeguarding Reviews: Links findings to lessons learned and documented change.
Service User Feedback: Shows engagement through surveys, interviews, and co-production.
Performance Dashboards: Tracks KPIs such as timeliness, satisfaction, and outcome measures.
Action Tracking: Ensures improvements are assigned, completed, and verified.

How to Present QA in a Tender

Mirror commissioner priorities: Highlight QA areas that match their specification.
Evidence improvement: Share concise examples of problems identified and resolved.
Include data: Use statistics or trends to prove consistent performance.
Highlight governance links: Show how QA reports feed into leadership decisions.

Common QA Weaknesses That Lose Marks

Describing QA in theory but showing no real evidence of action.
Audits done inconsistently or with no follow-up.
Feedback gathered but not acted upon.
No link between QA findings and staff training or policy updates.

Quick QA Readiness Checklist

Documented QA policy with named lead and review date.
Annual audit plan with clear scope and schedule.
Evidence logs showing issues identified and resolved.
Regular service user engagement feeding into QA reports.
Performance dashboard with live KPI monitoring.
QA reports reviewed at senior management level with minutes kept.

Final Thought

Commissioners want to award contracts to providers they can trust. A clear, structured, and evidence-backed QA system makes that trust easy to give.