This was our first themed programme of inspections using our new ‘outcomebased’ model of regulation. This means we spent the majority of our time observing how care was delivered on wards, talking to patients and their families, and interviewing staff. The programme was a genuinely collaborative effort, working with practising nurses and ‘experts by experience’ (people with direct experience of care services) in our inspection teams. An external advisory group offered us strong challenges throughout the process and helped make sure the inspection reports have had an impact. They added a lot to this piece of work and we have learned a great deal about how we can improve the way we regulate as a result of their input.