The Safe Key Question.Seven KLOEs, in plain English.
Under the 2026 CQC framework, the Safe Key Question asks one thing of a service — “You are protected from abuse and avoidable harm” — across seven Key Lines of Enquiry. Here is each one, and the evidence that answers it.
Based on CQC's draft Adult Social Care Assessment Framework, version 9 — in consultation until 12 June 2026.
Protecting people from abuse and avoidable harm.
Safe is the Key Question services fail most often. Its seven KLOEs run from the culture that lets staff raise a concern, to the management of clinical risk, to safeguarding, the care environment, staffing levels, and medicines.
The pattern behind most Safe shortfalls is the same: the care was given, but the evidence of it is thin, late or scattered — an incident not investigated, a risk score not trended, a medication record that cannot be read. The 2026 framework asks you to show Safe, not just assert it.
The seven Safe KLOEs.
KLOE 1Safety culture
"Is there a positive and equitable safety culture where risks are proactively managed, concerns are listened to, incidents are thoroughly investigated, and lessons are learned to improve care?"
- Safe culture
- Raising safety concerns
- Closed cultures
- Duty of candour
An immutable audit trail; the incident and duty-of-candour workflow with the learning loop closed; an anonymous speaking-up channel.
KLOE 2Managing risks during care and treatment
"Are risks to each person monitored and managed so that their care and treatment is safe and supportive?"
- Managing risk, deterioration and emergencies
- Positive risk taking
- People communicating a need or distress
- Restrictive practice
A live risk register on the care plan; MUST, Waterlow and NEWS2 scored and trended; restrictive-practice and MCA/DoLS recording; deterioration alerts.
KLOE 3Safe systems, pathways and transitions
"Are there systems to enable collaborative working across care pathways and services, to ensure that safety and continuity of care are prioritised?"
- Care co-ordination and information sharing
- Continuity and transitions of care
- Referrals
- Delegation
One shared record across the team; GP Connect-ready; structured handover and transfer records; referral tracking.
KLOE 4Safeguarding
"Does the service work with partners and people to protect their rights to live in safety and be free from abuse and improper treatment?"
- Safeguarding and human rights
- Deprivation of liberty
- Bullying, harassment and discrimination
- Sexual safety and empowerment
A safeguarding workflow that auto-routes concerns to the right people; DoLS recording; an immutable, time-stamped concern trail.
KLOE 5Safe environments and infection prevention and control
"Are potential risks within the care environment detected and managed appropriately to enable safe delivery of care for people and staff?"
- Premises (gas, electrical, fire safety)
- Equipment
- Infection prevention and control
- Environmental risks (heatwaves, flooding)
- Digital systems and technology assurance
Premises and equipment checks; IPC records; the risk register for environmental risks; and, for digital-systems assurance, DSPT evidence and the DCB0160 deployment pack.
KLOE 6Safe staffing
"Are there enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff who receive adequate support, supervision and development to keep people safe and meet their needs?"
- Workforce capacity and capability
- Safe recruitment and DBS checks
- Staffing levels and skills mix
- Skills, qualifications and revalidation
- Support and supervision
- Performance management
- People in positions of trust
The workforce module — DBS tracking, the training matrix and revalidation, supervision, the care-intensity rota, and sponsor-licence checks for people in positions of trust.
KLOE 7Safe medicines and treatments
"Are medicines and treatments safe and delivered in a timely way, in line with people’s needs and preferences?"
- Roles, responsibilities and delegation
- Self-medication
- Safe administration and record keeping
- Consent and covert administration (MCA 2005, MHA 1983)
- Controlled drugs
- Antimicrobial stewardship
- STOMP/STAMP
The eMAR — prompt/assist/administer, a controlled-drug register, covert administration recorded against the MCA, and STOMP/STAMP and antimicrobial-stewardship pattern detection.
Every KLOE across all five Key Questions — with the verbatim inspector question and full scope — is on the all 24 KLOEs reference.
Safe is shown, not asserted.
FlexiEle files Safe evidence as care is delivered — an incident the moment it is logged, a risk score the moment it moves, a medication event the moment it is given — each tagged to the right Safe KLOE.
So when an inspector asks for your Safe evidence, it is already there, against the right line of enquiry — not assembled from paper the week before.
- Incidents, safeguarding concerns and the duty-of-candour loop
- Risk scores — MUST, Waterlow, NEWS2 — trended over time
- Every medication event on the eMAR
- DBS, training and supervision for safe staffing
- DSPT and digital-systems assurance
- Each filed to the right Safe KLOE, as it happens.
See your Safe evidence, mapped.
Book a 20-minute demo and we'll walk the seven Safe KLOEs against a service like yours — and show where the evidence comes from. No slides, no pressure.