CQC REGISTRATION & COMPLIANCE

CQC Statement of Purpose

Your Statement of Purpose tells CQC — and the public — who you are, what you do, and how you do it. Here's what must be included and how to get it right.

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What is a Statement of Purpose?

A Statement of Purpose is a legal document required under Regulation 12 of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009. Every registered provider must have one, and it must be kept up to date.

It serves three purposes:

You must make your Statement of Purpose available to anyone who asks for it, and provide a copy to CQC when requested. It's often one of the first documents inspectors review before a site visit.

• For CQC: It tells them what you're registered to do and how you operate
• For the public: It helps people understand your service before choosing you
• For your team: It articulates your vision and how you expect care to be delivered

Six Required Information Categories (CQC Schedule 3)

Under Regulation 12 and Schedule 3 of the CQC (Registration) Regulations 2009, your Statement of Purpose must include the following information. These are the statutory requirements:

1. Provider Information

Legal name and registered address of the provider, contact details (telephone, email, website), legal status (company, partnership, sole trader), and CQC registration number (if already registered).

• ✓ Legal entity name as registered with Companies House
• ✓ Registered address (must match Companies House registration)
• ✓ Service location(s) if different from registered address
• ✓ Contact telephone and email
• ✓ Website address (if applicable)

2. Aims and Philosophy

Your service's statement of aims, objectives, and philosophy. This is where you explain your vision, values, and the approach you take to care and support.

• ✓ Statement of purpose (what your service exists to do)
• ✓ Core values and principles guiding your service
• ✓ Your approach to quality and continuous improvement
• ✓ Commitment to equality and diversity
• ✓ How you involve service users and carers in planning

3. Regulated Activities and Service Description

Clear description of the regulated activities you carry out, the types of care you provide, conditions or specialisms you support, and the range of people you serve.

• ✓ List of all regulated activities (as registered with CQC)
• ✓ Types of care provided (e.g., personal care, support with activities of daily living)
• ✓ Age range and service user groups supported
• ✓ Specific conditions or needs you specialise in
• ✓ Maximum capacity (number of service users/beds)
• ✓ Any service users you cannot support (e.g., specific mental health conditions)

4. Service Delivery Arrangements

Details of how you deliver the service: locations, opening hours, staffing model, and any arrangements for out-of-hours or emergency support.

• ✓ Physical location(s) where care is provided
• ✓ Normal operating hours and days
• ✓ Out-of-hours arrangements (if applicable)
• ✓ Emergency contact procedures
• ✓ How you maintain service continuity during staffing difficulties
• ✓ Staffing structure and key roles

5. Governance and Management Structure

Details of who runs the service, management arrangements, supervisory structure, and how governance is exercised.

• ✓ Registered manager name, qualifications, and experience
• ✓ Nominated individual details (for companies)
• ✓ Management structure and chain of command
• ✓ Board of directors or governance body (if applicable)
• ✓ Management of conflicts of interest
• ✓ Financial sustainability and ownership

6. Quality Assurance and Monitoring Arrangements

How you monitor and improve service quality, gather feedback from service users and staff, respond to concerns, and demonstrate compliance with regulations.

• ✓ Quality monitoring arrangements and frequency
• ✓ Feedback mechanisms (surveys, complaints, forums)
• ✓ How you use feedback to improve
• ✓ Safeguarding procedures and reporting mechanisms
• ✓ Training and supervision arrangements
• ✓ How you demonstrate compliance with CQC regulations

When to Update Your Statement of Purpose

Your Statement of Purpose must reflect your current service. Update it when:

Remember to notify CQC of significant changes and send them your updated Statement of Purpose.

• You change your registered manager
• You add or remove regulated activities
• Your capacity changes
• You change your service model or specialisms
• Your location or contact details change
• Annually, even if nothing has changed (best practice)

Compliance Checklist Includes:

• All 12 Schedule 3 required sections with tick-boxes
• Specific sub-sections for care homes, domiciliary care, and supported living
• CQC inspector red flags to avoid
• Quality assurance questions for your leadership team
• Annual review template with dates to track compliance