After a few months of debating, we have decided to move premises to just a short distance away. When we first moved to our current premises, there was a side entrance just off the main road that was manned by a receptionist and therefore provided extremely easy – and safe – access for our care workers but not long after we moved this entrance was closed. The majority of our workforce do not have access to a car, but are now forced to use the main entrance to access the building which is for cars and is quite a long detour. Due to the lack of easy access we have seen the number of visitors to our office reduce; We felt that the building and our location was becoming a barrier for us in encouraging good staff communications.
The new site we have viewed is right in the Town Centre at the heart of our client base. I believe the more centralised location will result in an increase in visitors to our office by care staff and Service Users alike. Our aim is to encourage better relations with our workforce and the local community and happier staff will mean happier Service Users.
I knew that a move would mean changes to our CQC registration and so I went onto their website to find out what I needed to do. After reading through the information and notification forms I was still completely baffled. I contacted the enquiry line to ask for further information.
To apply to move premises, you have to complete four Notification forms.
- Add a location: Provider Application – This is you as an organisation applying to register your new premises as a site to provide a regulated activity
- Remove a location: Provider Application – This is you as an organisation applying to remove your existing premises as a site to provide a regulated activity. There is a section which asks you why you are applying to remove the location and how this will affect the people who use the service and how you intend to manage and limit the effects. You will need to consider your reasons and detail the positive outcomes for your Service Users and staff members alike.
- Add a location: Manager Application – This is for the Registered Manager to complete to add the new premises
- Remove a location: Provider Application – This is for the Registered Manager to complete to remove the existing premises.
Your Statement of Purpose (found in the QCS system) will also need updating to include your new address, and you should ensure you include this in your application alongside the other four forms.
One word of warning…
The forms state it can take the CQC up to 8 weeks to process changes to your registration- so before you start arranging the Removal company make sure you have your Registration forms through!
