1. Notification of Changes

The service will inform the Care Quality Commission of any changes in the management of the service, or of its registered details. Notifications will be made in advance of the changes coming into effect, or where this is not possible, as soon as possible thereafter without delay.

Notification will be made of:

  • a change in the name or address of the business;
  • a change of director, secretary or other similar officer of the business;
  • a person other than the registered person carries on or manages the regulated activity;
  • a registered person ceases to carry on or manage the regulated activity;
  • the appointment of a receiver, manager, liquidator or provisional liquidator in relation to the business;
  • the appointment a new registered manager, their name and the date they will begin work;
  • the service closes.

2. Continuation of Regulatory History

See also Continuation of Regulatory History (Care Quality Commission)

There are times when a service must re-register as a ‘new’ location, even though it is continuing to deliver the same service to people. This is usually where there is a change of ownership of the service or it moves premises.

The CQC website links previous and current locations for service providers. It also displays the ‘regulatory history’ (ratings and reports) for these registration changes when:

  • a location moves premises – it starts providing the same service, but from new premises;
  • a provider changes its business structure, for example, from a partnership to an individual;
  • a location is sold or taken over by new provide; this includes mergers and non-NHS owned locations.

This should make it easier for people to see the results of previous CQC inspections. It also makes it clear that the provider is still accountable for the quality of care if a service moves address or restructures its business.

If a new provider takes over a service, it ‘inherits’ the previous CQC ratings and reports. The provider should know the history before taking it over and is responsible for maintaining and improving the service.

By continuing the regulatory history, the CQC can take a more flexible approach to inspection. It will plan its next inspection based on its last assessment of the location and the type of registration change.

If there is a change of ownership, any ratings awarded to a previous provider cannot be aggregated with any new ratings awarded to the new provider to produce a new overall rating.

A new provider is not legally required to display the rating awarded to the previous provider, but may choose to display previous ratings.