CQC registration document guidance

Home Care Service User Guide

Your Service User Guide should help people understand your home care or domiciliary care service before and while receiving support, including what you provide, what you do not provide and how your service operates.

Why this matters for your registration

  • •CQC expects your Service User Guide to help people make informed decisions about their care and understand what they can expect from your organisation.
  • •It should explain practical matters such as charges, complaints, safeguarding and contractual arrangements in a clear and accessible way.
  • •A guide that is specific to your proposed service helps show that your registration documents are realistic and joined up.

What you should prepare

  • •A clear explanation of the services your home care agency provides and the services it does not provide.
  • •How you assess whether you can meet someone's needs safely and appropriately before care begins.
  • •Your charging arrangements, contractual terms and how service users will understand the financial side of the service.
  • •Your arrangements for monitoring care calls and making sure visits take place on time.
  • •Clear information about complaints, safeguarding concerns and how service users or representatives can contact you.
  • •An accessible guide that reflects your service-user bands, communication needs and the people you intend to support.

Before you submit

  • •Make sure the guide is specific to your home care business and not written as a generic care-provider leaflet.
  • •Keep it consistent with your Statement of Purpose, pricing, safeguarding policy, complaints policy and service contracts.
  • •Explain clearly what the service can and cannot provide so expectations are realistic from the start.
  • •Use language and formatting that are accessible for the people likely to use your service.

Need help?

Support with your CQC documents

We can help you prepare a Service User Guide that reflects your proposed home care service, your service users and the way your organisation will actually work.

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