Every document CQC asks for with your application

Supplied as editable Word files with placeholders for your organisation, registered manager and local arrangements.

• Statement of purpose — A legal requirement. Sets out your aims and objectives, your regulated activities, each location, the type of service and the needs of the people who use it.
• Business plan and financial forecast — Shows CQC that your service will be financially stable and well managed, and how you will meet the needs of the people who use it.
• Recruitment policy and procedures — Must show your recruitment stages (advert, application, shortlisting, interview, identity, references, DBS, offer) and how you meet Regulation 19, fit and proper persons employed.
• Safeguarding policy and procedures — Must cover the types and signs of abuse, how concerns are reported, your approach to restraint, and how you meet Regulation 13.
• Complaints policy — Must show how you handle complaints effectively, in line with Regulation 16.
• Consent policy and procedures — Shows CQC you understand how to obtain consent for care and treatment, including where a person may lack capacity.
• Governance and quality assurance policies — Shows you have effective systems to run a well-led service and to assure the quality of the care you provide.
• Infection prevention and control policy — Must show how you meet the Health and Social Care Act 2008 code of practice and Regulation 12, covering PPE, transmission-based precautions, waste, cleaning and decontamination.
• Medicines management and prescribing policy — Must relate to your type of service and cover safe administration, storage, controlled drugs, errors and omissions, supply, disposal and record keeping.
• Business continuity plan — Shows how the service keeps running safely during and after a disruption.
• Equality, diversity and human rights policy and procedures — Shows how you meet your Equality Act 2010 duties for the people who use the service and for your staff.
• Staff training plan — What your induction covers, what training new staff receive, and the mandatory training your service requires - a plan, not just a policy.
• Service user guide — The plain-English guide telling people who use your service what to expect, what it costs, and how to complain.
• Environment risk assessment — A scored assessment of how the premises themselves could cause harm to patients, visitors, staff and contractors.
• Fire risk assessment — The assessment required in its own right by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for your premises.
• Legionella risk assessment — Assessment and control of legionella risk in the water system at your premises.
• Fit and proper persons evidence (directors) — Not on CQC’s supporting-documents list, but Regulation 5 evidence for every director is checked during assessment. Providers are routinely asked for it.

The written policy is in the pack; the certificate or signature has to be yours.

• Public and employer liability insurance — Evidence that you hold insurance and suitable indemnity arrangements covering death, injury, loss or damage to property and other financial risk.You send CQC the quote or certificate from your insurer. We supply the insurance and indemnity policy that sits behind it.

Nothing we sell can satisfy these. They are listed because omitting one is how an application gets rejected.

• Financial viability statement — A letter from a financial specialist stating whether, in their opinion, you have the finances to run the service described in your statement of purpose.This has to come from your accountant, bank or another independent financial services firm - it is not something we can write for you, and CQC will not accept it from the applicant. Ask them for a signed letter on their letterhead that states in terms whether, in their opinion, your organisation is financially viable, and that discloses any concerns rather than omitting them. Send them your business plan and financial forecast first; most firms need two to three weeks.
• Floor plan — A plan of each location showing the rooms and how the space is used.Produce a simple scaled plan of the location. It does not need to be drawn by an architect.
• Evidence of legal occupancy — Proof that you are entitled to occupy the premises you are registering.Your signed lease, licence or title deeds.
• Gas and electrical safety certificates — Current certificates for the premises you are registering.Obtain from a registered gas engineer and a qualified electrician. Book these early - they are a common cause of delay.
• Planning permission — Where the use of the premises requires it.From your local planning authority, where a change of use applies.