Starting a domiciliary care business

The health care industry is a growing profession. As the population ages, demand for homecare is rising on a global scale.¹ 

Homecare is often viewed as a more comfortable and cost-effective alternative to care homes. It allows people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

Setting up a domiciliary care business comes with challenges. Recruitment has always been a difficulty in this sector. However, the rising cost of living and the removal of thousands of potential EU workers after Brexit are causing a serious shortfall. This shortage affects the skilled and specialist caregivers needed in social and care work.

It is, however, hugely rewarding. So if you’re thinking of starting a domiciliary care business, here’s a guide to some of the key steps to consider.

First things first, what is a domiciliary care business? 

Domiciliary care businesses are essentially there to provide ‘care at home’. These types of carers are often referred to as home carers or private carers. Domiciliary care businesses typically offer a range of services that support an individual in their own home.

What services do domiciliary care offer?

Services are often seen as an ‘additional pair of helping hands’. They can include a whole host of activities from:

• day-to-day household tasks; 
• personal care; 
• or generally any activity that allows a person to maintain quality of life whilst living independently.

How to register a domiciliary care agency in the UK - CQC registration

When setting up a domiciliary care business, the first thing you’ll need to do is register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This is the independent regulator of health and social care in the UK. The CQC ensures health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, high-quality care. Registering with the CQC is a legal prerequisite, as part of the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Registering your business can be done on the government’s website, gov.uk.² There are several policies and procedures that your care business will need to follow. The CQC will carry out inspections and you’ll need to set up these policies and pay the CQC registration fees upfront to organise the inspections.

You’ll also need to complete the Registered Manager application. The manager who is in charge of your business day-to-day must, by law, have:

• relevant skills; 
• experience; 
• training and qualifications.

Recruiting your domiciliary care workers

Once your registration processes are complete, the focus shifts to recruiting your staff, specifically the caregivers. Additionally, you need to market your services to reach your target audience. Your recruitment strategy will need to attract the best possible caregivers as they are the lifeblood of your business. It’s worth considering working with a specialist recruitment agency to ensure you talk to the right people.

You, and all people working for you, must have a disclosure barring service (DBS) check to ensure you’re eligible to work in healthcare.

Protecting your care business

These staff members will be going into people’s homes, providing physical and emotional care and potentially administering medicines. This means you must have the right insurance for your domiciliary care company. There are several policies to consider:

• public liability insurance; 
• professional indemnity insurance; 
• employers liability insurance; 
• medical malpractice cover 
• treatments liability insurance; 
• and even cyber cover.

Marketing your domiciliary care services

To market your business, you need to consider who your target audience is. Working on a local level, you can approach news sites and newspapers. The people
usually looking for homecare help are family members looking for assistance for their elderly relatives. Therefore, working with schools and local businesses can be an excellent way to get your messages out. Consider paid advertisements and door drops of flyers to ensure you are front of mind when people first start thinking about home care for their loved ones.

Starting a domiciliary care business will take time and patience, but these companies provide a vital service to society’s most vulnerable. With the right research and recruitment, your company will get off to the best possible start. 

Sources

1. grandviewresearch.com/home-healthcare-industry 
2. gov.uk/registration-of-domiciliary-care-agencies-england