CQC statutory notifications: what you must notify, and when

Statutory notifications are how CQC finds out about important events between inspections. They're a legal duty under the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009, and inspectors compare the notifications you've sent with your incident log. Getting them right is a big part of being well-led.

This guide covers England (CQC). Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulators and rules, each with its own section near the end.

The quick reference

Deaths (Regulation 16)

You must notify CQC without delay of the death of a person using the service if it happened while the regulated activity was being provided, or it has, or may have, resulted from the regulated activity or how it was provided. For a care home, that covers deaths of residents in the home. For home care, it covers a death during a visit or one that may have resulted from the care, but not every death of a client on your books.

Regulation 16 doesn't apply where Regulation 17 does (people detained or liable to be detained under the Mental Health Act).

Serious injuries (Regulation 18)

An injury to a person using the service is notifiable if, in the reasonable opinion of a health care professional, it led to or is likely to lead to:

• an impairment of sensory, motor or intellectual functions that is not likely to be temporary;
• changes to the structure of the body;
• prolonged pain or prolonged psychological harm;
• the shortening of life expectancy; or
• an injury that needs treatment to prevent death or any of the above.

Falls are the most common source. A fractured hip is notifiable; a fall with a bruise is logged as an incident, not notified.

Abuse and allegations of abuse

Notify any abuse or allegation of abuse concerning a person using the service. Notifying CQC does not replace your safeguarding referral to the local authority: do both.

Police incidents

Any incident reported to, or investigated by, the police in relation to the service or a person using it.

Events that stop the service running safely

Notify any event that prevents, or appears likely to threaten, your ability to keep providing the service safely, or in line with your registration. The regulation includes:

• insufficient numbers of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff;
• an interruption to the supply of electricity, gas, water or sewerage lasting longer than a continuous 24 hours;
• physical damage to the premises;
• failure or malfunction of fire alarms or other safety devices for more than 24 hours.

Staffing is the one managers most often overlook. If you couldn't cover a shift safely, check whether this applies. Our guides on care home rota software and nursing home rotas cover keeping cover safe.

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

Notify the outcome of each application for a DoLS standard authorisation, or an application to the Court of Protection, once you know the outcome, or if the application is withdrawn.

Absence of the registered manager (Regulation 14)

If the registered manager (or an individual registered provider) will be away for 28 days or more:

• planned: notify no later than 28 days before the absence starts, with how the service will be managed;
• emergency: notify within 5 working days of the absence starting;
• return: notify no later than 7 working days after they come back.

How to submit

Most notification types go through the CQC provider portal: deaths, Mental Health Act deaths and absences, serious injuries, abuse, police involvement, events that stop the service running safely and DoLS outcomes. CQC says other types must still be sent by email using its forms (to HSCA_notifications@cqc.org.uk), and absence notifications are email-only. CQC's forms say you must notify as soon as possible.

Keep a copy of every notification and the date it was sent, linked to the incident it came from.

Related duties people confuse with notifications

• Safeguarding referrals to the local authority are separate and still needed.
• Duty of candour (Regulation 20 of the 2014 Regulations): be open and transparent with the person and their family when something goes wrong, including an apology, and keep a record.
• RIDDOR: certain injuries to staff, and some incidents involving others, must also be reported to HSE under RIDDOR. That's a separate report.

A simple process for every incident

1. Make the person and others safe. Get medical help.
2. Record the incident the same day: what happened, who was involved (initials or room number), witnesses, immediate action.
3. Ask: is this a death, serious injury, abuse or allegation, police matter, or something stopping safe running?
4. If yes, notify CQC without delay and note the date sent. If unsure, ask the registered manager or notify.
5. Make any safeguarding referral and consider duty of candour.
6. Review: lessons learned, actions with owners and dates.

Wales: notifying Care Inspectorate Wales

CQC's rules stop at the border. In Wales the duty is regulation 60 and Schedule 3 of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, made under the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016. Notifications must be made without delay and in writing, in the way CIW requires; the Welsh Government's statutory guidance says "usually within 24 hours" of the event. They go through CIW Online, and the responsible individual can let named online assistants submit them.

Schedule 3 is wider than England's list in places. For adult services it includes:

• any abuse or allegation of abuse involving the provider, staff or volunteers, and any allegation of staff misconduct;
• a serious accident or injury (the statutory guidance defines it much like CQC's test, including impairment that is permanent or likely to last more than 28 days);
• category 3 or 4, or unstageable, pressure damage;
• an outbreak of any infectious disease;
• any incident reported to the police;
• any event that prevents, or could prevent, safe provision, including insufficient staff, utilities, heating or fire alarms out for more than 24 hours, and damage to premises;
• where accommodation is provided, the death of a person and the circumstances;
• any request to a supervisory body for a DoLS authorisation (England asks for the outcome);
• a conviction of the provider, responsible individual or manager;
• changes such as the statement of purpose (at least 28 days before), the responsible individual's absence (at least 7 days before if expected), premises alterations and contact details.

CIW changed its forms from 30 September 2026, and from 2 November 2026 pressure damage has its own notification instead of going under serious injury. See our full guide to CIW notifications.

Scotland: notifying the Care Inspectorate

In Scotland the Care Inspectorate sets what must be notified, under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 and the 2011 registration regulations, in its guidance Adult care services: Guidance on records you must keep and notifications you must make (March 2025). Notifications go through its eForms (a few changes, such as a new manager, go through the digital portal). Most have a 24-hour timescale:

• deaths, including care home residents who die elsewhere, such as in hospital;
• protection concerns, with an update within one month;
• serious incidents, accidents and injuries, including any injury needing medical advice or attention;
• outbreaks of infectious disease and controlled drug errors;
• allegations of misconduct by the provider or staff;
• equipment likely to be out of action for more than 24 hours, such as a lift, hoist or heating;
• manager absence of 28 days or more: at least 14 days before if planned, within one week in an emergency.

The Care Inspectorate says not notifying within the timescales breaches your conditions of registration. See our guide to Care Inspectorate notifications for the full table.

Northern Ireland: notifying RQIA

In Northern Ireland, regulation 30 of the Residential Care Homes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 (with the same duty for nursing homes) requires the registered person to notify RQIA without delay of the death of a resident, a serious outbreak of infectious disease, any serious injury, any event adversely affecting a resident's care, health, welfare or safety, any theft or burglary, any accident in the home, and any allegation of misconduct against the registered person or staff. A notice given by phone must be confirmed in writing within 3 working days. RQIA takes notifications through its Web Portal and publishes guidance on statutory notification of incidents and deaths. See our RQIA inspection checklist.

How ShiftComplete helps

ShiftComplete for care doesn't send notifications for you, but it makes sure the question gets asked every time:

• Incidents (falls, injuries, safeguarding concerns and more) recorded on a phone in minutes, with the person involved by initials or room number only.
• A prompt when an incident may need a CQC statutory notification, with a "sent on" date field so you can show when it went.
• Lessons learned recorded against the incident.
• Incidents and notifications included in your one-click inspection pack, grouped under CQC's five key questions. See our CQC inspection checklist.

It works alongside your care-records system, costs £2.49 per active staff member per month with no minimum or contract, and the first 60 days are free with no card needed. See it on our care homes page.