Ask Sheila 
Sheila will try to answer as many of your English Social Care questions as possible, giving priority to frequently asked questions and questions regarding current events and trends.
Sheila Scott OBE from National Care Association (NCA). Care is Sheila’s life; she possesses a strong command of the issues facing the care sector informed by her long career as a nursing professional, the owner and manager of a care business and as a leader in the care sector.
Sheila will try to answer as many of your questions as possible, giving priority to frequently asked questions and questions regarding current events and trends.
Please note that Sheila can not offer answers to matters requiring legal advice. If your matter concerns a specific service provider, please contact the CQC.
Latest Questions
The people on the on-call rota are not registered managers and I’m worried that should advise be needed, the registered manager will not be the person contacted. Surely this is a breach of registration?
My relative has profound disabilities and health needs and attends respite at a CQC registered facility. I am happy with the care knowing the Registered Manager has oversight of the service. I am concerned to hear the company is suggesting changing the out-of-hours arrangements which would mean the registered manager would only be contactable if there’s an issue when it’s his turn on the on-call rota. The people on the on-call rota are not registered managers and I’m worried that should advise be needed, the registered manager will not be the person contacted. Surely this is a breach of registration?
Dear Jane, Thank you for your question. This is my personal opinion. It is wrong to expect the Registered Manager to be on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year. It...
I work in a care home and our activities coordinator documents that people have been doing things that they haven’t done. He also documents things in the morning that aren’t happening until the afternoon. Is this legal or should I be reporting it to someone?
Hi Sheila, I work in a care home and our activities coordinator documents that people have been doing things that they haven’t done. He also documents things in the morning that aren’t happening until the afternoon. Is this legal or should I be reporting it to someone?
Hi Sheila, Thank you for your question. Any written record that details care or support provided to service users from staff must be factual and contemporaneous (e.g. written as close to the...
I am a sole trader providing a bathing and showering service to a number of elderly people. Do I need to be registered with the CQC?
Hi Sheila, I am a sole trader providing a bathing and showering service to a number of elderly people. Do I need to be registered with the CQC?
Hi Terry, Thank you for your question. I have had to make some assumptions from your question, the most important of which is that you are employed and paid by the person...
I have been working as Senior carer and Team leader for 15 years, background in nursing and NVQ 3 H&SC, NVQ 4 H&SC-Management, NVQ 5 H&SC -Leadership and management I wish to become a CQC inspector. What I need to do?
Hi Sheila, I have been working as Senior carer and Team leader for 15 years, background in nursing and NVQ 3 H&SC, NVQ 4 H&SC-Management, NVQ 5 H&SC -Leadership and management I wish to become a CQC inspector. What I need to do?
Hi Carmen, Many thanks for your question. Although I am unable to give specific details of what CQC would be looking for when they recruit staff (especially inspectors), I can tell you...
I work nights and have a lady who doesn’t want to get up at 7 in the morning but day staff tell me her daughter wants her up so I have to do it. This lady is in residential care and is capable of making her own decisions. Do I have to do it to keep the daughter and day staff happy?
Hi Sheila, I work nights and I have a lady who doesn’t want to get up at 7 in the morning but day staff tell me her daughter wants her up so I have to do it. This lady is in residential care and is capable of making her own decisions.
Do I have to do it to keep the daughter and day staff happy?
Hi Cathy, Thank you for your question. This can be a common situation where challenges arises from family members (and even other staff) making requests that may sit outside of a service...
Can I employ a 16 year old to work in my care setting who wants to gain experience in the Care Sector?
Hi Sheila,
I employ 12 people who work always on a 2:1 ratio with my disabled son. I have been approached by a staff member who has a 16 year old daughter who wants to gain experience in care work. As she would always be supervised and after training would she be able to assist with bathing and pad changes? This all happens within my adapted home, not a care home setting.
Dear Nigel, Thank you for your question. As you know you do not have to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) because as is set out in the CQC document,...
What does it mean by “The different needs your service meets” in the ‘Statement of Purpose’ document?
Hi Sheila,
We are working on our “Statement of Purpose” and we are applying for a Domiciliary Service. May I ask what does it mean by “The different needs your service meets”?
Dear Elyn, Thank you for your question. Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009, Schedule 3 point 2 says that the service provider must include in the Statement of Purpose: The kinds of services...
How can I check if a single-owner personal care service is CQC registered?
Hi Sheila, how can I check if a single-owner personal care service is CQC registered?
Dear Terry, Thank you for your question. The legal situation with regard to registration is relatively complex. You will find all registered services on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website. If you go to https://cqc.org.uk/...
I would like to open a domestic services agency which provides help to elderly people with cleaning, shopping, household chores & taking them to the appointments. What are the legal requirements
Hi Sheila, I would like to open a domestic services agency which provides help to elderly people with cleaning, shopping, household chores and taking them to the appointments. What are the legal requirements? Can you provide me some information?
Dear Lucky, Thank you for your question. I can only respond to your question with regards to health and social care. The Care Quality Commission regulates the following services as listed in Schedule...
Does helping someone put on a coat and get into a taxi mean I am delivering ‘personal care’?
Hi Sheila, could you confirm that helping an older person to put on an outer coat and helping them by the arm to get to a taxi would not be described as personal care. Having seen a previous answer of yours, these simple actions do not appear to be intimate.
Hi Dave, Thank you for your question. This is my opinion. Helping someone put on an overcoat or assisting them to get into a taxi is not personal care. This is the Department...Partners with the UK's smartest companies
