Dear Sheila, I am setting up an agency with the purpose of helping older people with tasks such as cleaning, shopping, laundry, ironing etc. Some people tell me that I must register with CQC but CQC tells me I don’t need to. Can you please help me? Thanks

Answered by Sheila Scott

Dear E,

The answer to your question is no you do not need to register because you will not be providing any of the services which are required by law to be registered by CQC.

You would be required to register if you were intending to provide personal care.

The Care Quality Commission defines personal care as:

‘The regulated activity of personal care consists of the provision of personal care for people who are unable to provide it for themselves, because of old age, illness or disability, and which is provided to them in the place where those people are living at the time when the care is provided. As an example, this includes personal care provided by a domiciliary care agency.’

Shopping and cooking is not personal care and nor is assisting someone to eat.

Personal care could be called intimate care and includes the following tasks:

• Personal hygiene including washing, taking a bath or shower and oral care

• Assistance with dressing

• Assistance with going to the toilet

• Care for people who are incontinent.

It is clear to me that you are intending to provide domestic services and therefore you do not need to register.

You should, however, keep the services you are providing under review in case they change and registration is required.

Best wishes,

Sheila