What are the requirements for a property that is to be used as a care home?

Answered by Ed Watkinson

For a property to be used as a care home, it will need to be registered as a location with CQC. The regulations surrounding the requirements of the property are not precise with regard to dimensions or facilities. However, any property will need to be clean, secure, suitable for what it is going to be used for, properly used, maintained and located.

The main consideration is that the property needs to ‘be suitable’. The regulations further define this and say that:

1. Any property must follow statutory requirements and take account of best practice
2. It must be big enough to accommodate the number of people planned to be accommodated
3. There must be sufficient numbers of toilets, communal space and storage
4. The property must be easily accessible and promote independence
5. It needs to promote people’s privacy, dignity and confidentiality
6. It must meet the needs of the people accommodated

As you can see, there are lots of uses of the words ‘suitable’, ‘appropriate’ and ‘adequate’, none of which give precise requirements. This gives you scope to develop your proposal and how you propose to meet regulations. It is strongly suggested that before you make any decision, that you contact the CQC to discuss your proposal and seek their advice.

The size, design and layout of the property will also vary depending on who you want to support. For example, the requirements for a learning disability service would be different from a mental health service, or a home providing accommodation for people with a diagnosis of dementia.

So, there is a lot to consider, and clarity of what you want to do is vital before progressing further.