What are the UK Care Home Regulations for Operators

Regardless of whether you build or refurbish a care home facility in the UK, you must create a safe and accessible environment for the residents. Besides, you must comply with a complex web of regulations.

Following regulatory requirements will help you reduce risks to residents and staff and avoid the need to rebuild the facility. In this guide, we will walk you through the official standards and practical advice for builders and operators to ensure compliance at all times.

Fundamental Standards and Premises

In the UK, you will have to abide by the rules and regulations of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) when building a care home facility. According to Regulation 15 (Premises and Equipment), the premises of the care facility must be clean, properly maintained and secure.

The inspectors from CQC check whether the premises are safe for residents, whether an infection control design is in place, and whether records are maintained in accordance with the law.

Now, let’s look at the building regulations that you must keep in mind when constructing a care home facility.

Building Regulations and Accessibility

The CQC ensures the facility has enough room to support residents’ dignity, independence and safety. But they don’t tell how big the room has to be, or how you can make it more accessible. For that, you have Part M and Part B of the Building Regulations.

Part M - It covers how the building can be accessible using stairs or ramps for disabled persons. It also includes the facilities inside and outside for support and access to disabled people. It will also guide you to build accessible corridors and stairs with the correct measurements.

Part B - It offers guidance on making a building safe from fire-related accidents. You will find advice on preventing fire spread, building escape routes, and structural fire protection for the buildings.

In this context, you should also be aware of the Equality Act 2010, which will guide you on making adjustments to the building for disabled residents. It’s better to know about the act before construction and comply with it, rather than rebuilding at a later stage.

Complying with the Health & Safety Executive

If you go through the HSE guidance (HSG220), you will see consolidated advice for safety and risk management. It will help safeguard the residents and staff. It also offers guidance on managing hazardous substances and protecting against electrical issues.

In case you want to go for a refurbishment of the care home, you need to rely on the Construction (Design and Management) 2015 Regulation. It suggests that, as an operator, you will need to provide pre-construction information to residents and appoint a reliable contractor. Most importantly, you should follow a phased construction approach to safeguard your residents in the facility.

Fire Safety and Evacuation Planning

The care home facility you are building right now must be based on the latest evidence-based risk management practice. You should consider installing a fire detection system, developing a proper evacuation strategy, and conducting staff training and drills. Install sprinklers in the building to actively suppress a fire breakout, and build the facility using a compartmentalisation strategy.

Remember that fire safety and protection remain a keen focus of the regulatory authority. Make sure to keep records of risk assessments, maintenance, staff training, and alarm tests safe and accessible at all times.

Essential Things to Note For Operators

Before starting the project, the operators of a care home facility should consider the following things:

Maintain fundamental design standards in line with the CQC standards

 Prepare pre-construction information and adopt a phased construction approach

Take care of the water, gas and electrical lines to avoid accidents when repurposing the building

Maintain a risk register for all possible risk factors before residents start occupying the facility

Besides following these tips, make sure you have cross-checked all CQC requirements regarding building design and compliance. Also, make sure the building you are constructing has plenty of room for residents to roam freely. They should not feel confined in a room without their authority.

Building a care home facility is more than just creating a house for residents to stay; you must follow building design guidelines to ensure better accessibility and protection. If you follow the official guidelines, it will be safer for the residents and staff to stay there peacefully.

Get in Touch with us.

To build a safe and compliant care home, you will need a reliable contractor. At Care Home Builders, we assure you that we will construct the building while complying with all relevant regulations.