- •The provider's complete legal name
- •Provider ID
- •Registered location name
- •Location ID
- •Companies House registration number
- •Registered address
- •Regulated activities affected by the change
- •Proof of identity
- •Complete employment history
- •References
- •Qualification checks
- •DBS information where legally appropriate
- •Companies House disqualification search
- •Insolvency and bankruptcy checks
- •Professional registration checks
- •Declaration of interests
- •Fitness and suitability declaration
- •Board minutes approving the appointment
- •The provider
- •Nominated individual
- •Registered managers
- •Locations
- •Regulated activities
- •Contact details
- •Full legal names are used consistently
- •Appointment and resignation dates match
- •Companies House filings have been completed where required
- •Fit-and-proper-person checks are documented
- •The correct CQC form has been used
- •All mandatory questions have been answered
- •The Statement of Purpose has been reviewed
- •Supporting documents are clearly named
- •A complete copy of the submission has been retained
- •CQC statutory notification reviews
- •Registered manager and provider applications
- •Statement of Purpose amendments
- •Director and nominated individual documentation
- •Compliance checks
- •Policies, procedures and supporting evidence
Leadership and ownership changes are normal in care organisations. However, appointing a new director, changing a nominated individual or replacing a registered manager is not simply an internal business decision.
The change may need to be reported to the Care Quality Commission, Companies House or both. Incorrect information, missing evidence or an incomplete notification can delay the process and expose the provider to unnecessary regulatory scrutiny.
CQC requires organisations to notify it when a director, secretary, similar officer or nominated individual joins or leaves. It also warns that incomplete forms will be returned.
Here are seven mistakes care providers should avoid.
1. Using an outdated notification form
CQC forms and submission instructions can change. Download the current statutory notification form directly from the CQC website rather than using an old copy saved on your computer.
Check the form version and guidance immediately before submission.
2. Entering the wrong registration details
A provider ID and a location ID are not necessarily the same.
Before submitting your notification, verify:
One incorrect identifier can cause confusion or delay.
3. Confusing directors, PSCs and registered managers
These roles are legally different.
A **director** is formally appointed to manage the company. A **person with significant control**, or PSC, is someone who meets an ownership or control condition. A **nominated individual** supervises the management of regulated activities on behalf of an organisation. A **registered manager** is registered with CQC to manage specified regulated activities at specified locations.
A person may hold more than one of these positions, but one role does not automatically make them another.
Do not describe someone as a director merely because they own shares or are registered as a PSC.
4. Allowing CQC and Companies House records to contradict each other
If your notification says that someone has become a director, but Companies House still shows somebody else, expect questions.
Companies House generally requires changes involving directors and company secretaries to be reported within 14 days. Changes to PSC information must also be reported within the applicable 14-day period.
Before sending anything to CQC, check that the appointment, resignation, ownership position and effective dates are accurate and consistent across all relevant documents.
5. Failing to complete fit-and-proper-person checks
A director-level appointment should never be treated as a name-changing exercise.
Regulation 5 requires relevant directors to be of good character and to possess the necessary competence, qualifications, skills and experience. Providers must have appropriate processes for checking suitability and retaining evidence.
Your evidence may include:
The person confirming suitability should have appropriate authority and should not simply approve their own appointment without independent oversight.
6. Forgetting the Statement of Purpose
A leadership change may affect the information recorded in your Statement of Purpose.
CQC requires providers to keep this document up to date, notify it of changes and provide a revised copy when amendments are made.
Review the sections covering:
Do not automatically rewrite the entire document. Amend only the information affected by the change and verify that the remaining information is still accurate.
7. Submitting without a final consistency check
Regulation 15 requires relevant changes to be reported to CQC in writing as soon as reasonably practicable. A failure to comply can lead to enforcement action, including prosecution for a breach of the regulation.
Before submission, confirm that:
Where a registered manager is changing, the notification does not replace the manager's application to register or change their existing registration.
Need Help With a CQC Change?
Incorrect submissions can create avoidable delays at precisely the time your organisation needs a smooth transition.
Xcentrik Solutions Ltd supports care providers with:
We identify inconsistencies before your documents reach CQC and help you prepare a clear, professional and evidence-based submission.
Visit www.xcentriksolutions.com to discuss your requirements.
*This article provides general compliance information and does not constitute legal advice.*
