Medical Compliance Officer jobs

Job Purpose

The Compliance Officer is responsible for supporting and monitoring the organisation's compliance, quality assurance and governance arrangements to ensure that care services are delivered safely, effectively and in accordance with applicable UK legislation, regulatory requirements, contractual obligations and company policies.

The post holder will onboard all new care staff compliance, maintain existing staff compliance, conduct audits, monitor service quality, identify areas of risk, support corrective actions and provide assurance to senior management that appropriate systems and controls are in place.

The role will work closely with the Registered Manager, care management team, training team and frontline staff to promote a strong culture of safety, accountability, continuous improvement and person-centred care.

Key Responsibilities

Regulatory Compliance

• Monitor compliance with applicable legislation, regulations, contractual requirements and organisational policies.
• Support the organisation in maintaining compliance with Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements and the relevant regulatory framework for the services provided.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of changes to legislation, regulations and best practice affecting the care sector.
• Support managers in preparing for CQC inspections and other regulatory or commissioning visits.
• Monitor evidence against the relevant CQC quality statements and regulatory requirements.
• Identify compliance gaps and work with managers to implement corrective and preventative actions.
• Maintain appropriate compliance records and evidence.

Quality Assurance & Auditing

• Develop and undertake regular compliance and quality audits across care services.
• Audit care plans, risk assessments, daily records, medication records, incident reports and other relevant documentation.
• Conduct audits of staff files, training records, supervision, competency assessments and DBS checks.
• Monitor whether care delivery is consistent with people's assessed needs, care plans and risk assessments.
• Carry out announced and unannounced quality checks and spot checks where appropriate.
• Produce clear audit reports identifying areas of good practice, non-compliance, risks and required actions.
• Track corrective actions through to completion.
• Identify recurring issues and recommend improvements to prevent reoccurrence.

Safeguarding

• Support the organisation's safeguarding procedures and promote a strong safeguarding culture.
• Monitor safeguarding referrals, concerns and associated actions.
• Ensure safeguarding documentation is accurate, complete and appropriately maintained.
• Escalate safeguarding concerns promptly to the Registered Manager or appropriate senior person.
• Support investigations into safeguarding concerns, incidents and allegations where required.
• Ensure lessons learned from safeguarding incidents are identified and implemented.

Incident & Risk Management

• Monitor accidents, incidents, near misses, complaints and other adverse events.
• Review incident reports to identify trends, patterns and areas of risk.
• Support managers with investigations and root-cause analysis.
• Ensure appropriate actions are recorded, implemented and reviewed.
• Maintain risk registers and compliance action plans where required.
• Escalate significant or repeated risks to senior management.

Care Documentation

• Conduct regular audits of:
• Care plans
• Risk assessments
• Medication records
• MAR charts
• Daily care notes
• Body maps
• Incident reports
• Mental Capacity Act documentation
• Best-interest decisions
• Consent records
• Moving and handling assessments
• Health and safety documentation
• Ensure documentation reflects people's current needs and circumstances.
• Identify missing, inaccurate, outdated or inconsistent records and ensure corrective action is taken.

Medication Compliance

• Audit medication administration records and medication processes.
• Monitor medication errors, omissions and discrepancies.
• Ensure appropriate action is taken following medication incidents.
• Check that staff responsible for medication administration have completed appropriate training and competency assessments.
• Escalate medication concerns to the appropriate manager.

Staff Compliance

• Monitor staff compliance with mandatory training requirements.
• Audit DBS checks, references, right-to-work documentation and employment records where required.
• Monitor staff supervision, appraisal and competency assessment records.
• Identify expired or outstanding compliance requirements.
• Work with HR and management to ensure staff records remain complete and up to date.

Complaints & Feedback

• Monitor complaints, compliments and service-user feedback.
• Support the investigation and resolution of complaints.
• Ensure complaints are managed in accordance with company procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Identify trends and recommend service improvements.
• Ensure learning from complaints is communicated to relevant teams.

Data Protection & Confidentiality

• Support compliance with UK data protection and confidentiality requirements.
• Ensure care and employee records are handled securely.
• Promote appropriate access, storage and disposal of confidential information.
• Report suspected data breaches in accordance with company procedures.
• Maintain strict confidentiality at all times.

Health & Safety

• Monitor compliance with organisational health and safety procedures.
• Support audits relating to workplace and service-user safety.
• Ensure identified risks are escalated and appropriate corrective action is taken.
• Monitor relevant checks and records, including where applicable:
• Fire safety
• Infection prevention and control
• COSHH
• Equipment checks
• Moving and handling
• Lone working
• Environmental safety
• Emergency procedures

Reporting & Governance

• Prepare regular compliance reports for senior management.
• Provide updates on audit findings, risks, incidents, complaints and outstanding actions.
• Maintain compliance dashboards and action trackers.
• Highlight significant areas of concern promptly.
• Assist with internal governance meetings and quality reviews.
• Provide evidence of continuous improvement and learning.

Person SpecificationEssential

• Previous experience in compliance, quality assurance, auditing, governance or management within the UK care sector.
• Good understanding of CQC-regulated care services.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, risk management and quality assurance.
• Strong understanding of confidentiality and data protection.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to analyse information and identify trends and risks.
• Ability to produce clear and professional audit reports.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
• Confident challenging poor practice and escalating concerns appropriately.
• Commitment to person-centred care and continuous improvement.

Desirable

• Qualification or experience in quality assurance, compliance or auditing.
• Experience preparing services for CQC inspections.
• Experience working in domiciliary care, supported living, complex care or community care.
• Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and safeguarding legislation.
• Experience conducting care-plan and medication audits.
• Experience with incident investigation and root-cause analysis.
• Experience using electronic care management or compliance systems.
• Full UK driving licence, where travel between services is required.

Key Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Integrity – acts honestly and maintains professional standards.
• Attention to detail – identifies gaps, errors and risks in documentation and practice.
• Professional curiosity – asks appropriate questions and does not accept poor practice without investigation.
• Leadership – can influence managers and staff to improve compliance.
• Analytical ability – can identify trends and underlying causes.
• Communication – can communicate concerns professionally and constructively.
• Accountability – follows actions through to completion.
• Resilience – remains calm when dealing with incidents, complaints or regulatory concerns.
• Continuous improvement – actively looks for opportunities to improve service quality.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance may be measured against:

• Completion of scheduled compliance audits.
• Percentage of identified actions completed within agreed timescales.
• Staff training and competency compliance.
• Care-plan and risk-assessment compliance.
• Medication audit compliance.
• Reduction in repeated incidents and compliance failures.
• Timeliness and quality of incident and safeguarding reporting.
• Complaint response and resolution times.
• Accuracy and completeness of compliance records.
• Evidence of continuous improvement.
• Preparedness for CQC and commissioner audits.

Working Relationships

The Compliance Officer will work closely with:

• Registered Manager
• Operations Manager / Director
• Care Managers and Team Leaders
• HR Department
• Training and Development Team
• Care Workers and Senior Care Workers
• Service Users and their families
• Social Workers
• Healthcare professionals
• Commissioners
• CQC and other regulatory bodies where appropriate

General Duties

• Maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality at all times.
• Comply with all company policies and procedures.
• Promote equality, diversity, dignity and human rights.
• Participate in training and professional development.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties consistent with the role.
• Actively promote a culture in which safety, safeguarding, quality and person-centred care are everyone's responsibility.

Safeguarding Statement

The organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults receiving care and support. All employees are expected to understand and fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities and to report concerns promptly in accordance with organisational procedures.

Equal Opportunities

The organisation is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and does not discriminate against employees, applicants or people receiving care on the basis of protected characteristics or any other unlawful grounds.

Working from home - Enjoy working from home every Friday!

Pay: £30,000.00-£32,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company events
• Free parking
• Work from home

Experience:

• Compliance management: 2 years (required)

Work Location: In person