Domiciliary Care Governance Policy: What to Include, What CQC Expects and a Free Template (2026)
What governance means for a home care agency, what CQC’s Regulation 17 guidance expects, the home care measures to monitor, a governance calendar and a free policy template to adapt.
A domiciliary care governance policy sets out the systems a home care agency uses to monitor and improve the quality and safety of care in people’s homes, find problems and put them right. It responds to Regulation 17 (good governance), which requires effective systems to assess, monitor and improve quality and safety, mitigate risks, keep accurate records and seek feedback, with scrutiny at board level or equivalent. The policy only counts if you follow it, so it should name roles, meetings, audits, deadlines and how problems are escalated, and you should keep the evidence.
This guide is for registered providers, nominated individuals and registered managers of domiciliary care (home care) agencies in England. It explains what CQC’s Regulation 17 guidance expects, what a governance policy should contain, the measures that matter for care delivered in people’s homes and how to run governance week to week. Where something is our suggestion rather than a CQC requirement, we say so.
Download the free governance policy template
Domiciliary care governance policy template (.docx): 12 sections with [bracketed] fields to complete (roles, meetings, monitoring table, risk, feedback, records, incidents, action planning, reporting, review), an action log and a governance calendar. It is our suggested layout, not a CQC form. Adapt it to your service.
Key takeaways
- CQC does not require a document with this exact name, but Regulation 17 requires governance systems, and registration asks for governance and quality assurance policies.
- Systems must assess services against Regulations 4 to 20A, with scrutiny and responsibility at board level or equivalent.
- Home care governance needs measures that fit care in people’s homes: late and missed visits, spot checks, medicines records, lone working and care plan reviews.
- Every finding needs an owner, a date and evidence that it was fixed.
- A policy is worth little without records: minutes, audit results, action logs and reports to the provider.
In this guide
- What is a governance policy in domiciliary care?
- What does CQC Regulation 17 expect?
- What a domiciliary care governance policy should contain
- Home care measures to monitor (suggested frequencies)
- Who is responsible for governance in a home care agency?
- A governance calendar you can follow
- Evidence inspectors may ask for
- Common governance mistakes (our observations)
- Free template or paid policy set?
- Sources and how this was checked
- Frequently asked questions
What is a governance policy in domiciliary care?
Governance is how a provider knows what is really happening in its service and acts on it. A governance policy writes down that system: who is responsible, what is checked, how often, how results are reported and how problems are put right. It sits alongside your quality assurance policy, which many providers combine with governance. CQC lists governance and quality assurance policies among the documents new providers send at registration (see CQC policies and procedures). For the difference between governance and assurance see governance vs assurance.
What does CQC Regulation 17 expect?
CQC’s guidance on Regulation 17 says providers must operate effective systems and processes to make sure they assess and monitor their service against Regulations 4 to 20A, with scrutiny and overall responsibility at board level or equivalent. In practice, for a home care agency:
| What CQC guidance says | What it looks like in a home care agency |
|---|---|
| Regular audits baselined against Regulations 4 to 20A, including the experiences of people using the service | An audit schedule (care plans, medicines, records, spot checks) with results by regulation or key question, and feedback from people and families |
| Systems must identify where quality or safety is being compromised and respond without delay | Weekly review of late and missed visits, incidents and complaints, with same-day action on risks to people |
| Information must be up to date, accurate, analysed and reviewed by people with the competence to understand it; results escalated and acted on | Reports reviewed by the registered manager and provider, with trends and decisions minuted |
| Seek the views of a wide range of stakeholders, and show how you analysed and responded | Surveys, phone calls, staff meetings, commissioner feedback, and a record of what changed |
| Monitor progress against improvement plans and act without delay if progress is not as expected | Action log with owners, dates, evidence and escalation of overdue items |
| Share relevant information about incidents and risks with other bodies, for example safeguarding boards, coroners and regulators | Notifications to CQC and referrals to the local authority, recorded and reviewed |
| Maintain accurate, complete and contemporaneous records for each person, kept securely | Records audits, secure storage, access controls |
| Seek professional advice as needed, and implement nationally recognised guidance as it changes | Policy review dates, a log of guidance changes and the action taken |
Sources: CQC guidance on Regulation 17(1) and 17(2), read 25 October 2026. The right-hand column is our interpretation.
What a domiciliary care governance policy should contain
- Purpose and scope: the service, registered location and regulated activity covered, and who the policy applies to.
- Legal basis: Regulation 17 and the other regulations you monitor against.
- Roles and responsibilities: provider, nominated individual, registered manager, coordinators and field supervisors, and all staff.
- Governance meetings: who, how often, standing agenda items and how they are recorded.
- Monitoring quality and safety: what is checked, how, how often, by whom and where recorded.
- Risk management: a risk register with owners, controls and review dates.
- Feedback: how you seek and act on the views of people, families, staff and professionals.
- Records: accuracy, security and how records are audited.
- Incidents, complaints, safeguarding and notifications: same-day reporting, review, learning and statutory notifications.
- Action planning and escalation: owners, dates, evidence and what happens when actions are overdue.
- Reporting to the provider or board: the monthly governance report and what it contains.
- Review of the policy: frequency and triggers.
Home care measures to monitor (suggested frequencies)
Frequencies are our suggestions. Set yours by risk and size and record them.
| Measure | How | Suggested frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Late and missed visits | Review call monitoring or visit logs against the rota and care plans; investigate every missed visit | Weekly |
| Care worker spot checks | Unannounced visit to observe medicines, hygiene, moving and handling, dignity and records | Each worker at least every few months, more often for new staff |
| Medicines administration records | Sample checked against the care plan; errors reviewed and learning recorded | Monthly |
| Care plans and risk assessments | Sample audited for accuracy, involvement and review dates | Monthly |
| Daily notes and records | Sample read for detail, timeliness and consistency with the plan | Monthly |
| Supervision, appraisal and training | Matrix checked for gaps; competency checks recorded | Monthly |
| Incidents, safeguarding, complaints | Logs reviewed for trends, notifications and learning | Weekly and monthly |
| Lone working and personal safety | Check-in procedures tested; incidents reviewed | Quarterly |
| Feedback from people, families and staff | Surveys, calls and staff meetings; actions logged | Quarterly |
| Recruitment files | Checks complete before starting | Quarterly |
| Policies | Review dates tracked using a register | Annually and on change |
Our free CQC audit pack covers medication, care plan, training, supervision, safeguarding, complaints and other audits, with an action log. For monthly checks see quality and compliance monthly checks for a home care agency.
Who is responsible for governance in a home care agency?
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Registered provider | Overall responsibility for meeting the regulations; scrutiny at board level or equivalent; resources |
| Nominated individual (organisations) | Supervises how the regulated activity is managed and is the main contact with CQC |
| Registered manager | Runs governance day to day: audits, meetings, action plan, notifications, reporting to the provider |
| Coordinators and field supervisors | Spot checks, call monitoring, supervision, care plan reviews, reporting findings |
| All staff | Follow policies, record care accurately, raise concerns, take part in audits and learning |
A governance calendar you can follow
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Weekly | Check late and missed visits; review overdue actions; review new incidents, complaints and safeguarding concerns |
| Monthly | Governance meeting; audits; governance report to the provider |
| Quarterly | Provider or board review; feedback survey; recruitment audit; risk register review |
| Every six months | Mock inspection against the key questions; review the audit schedule |
| Annually | Policy review; appraisal round; review of the governance framework |
For agendas and minutes see how to run a governance meeting and the governance meeting agenda template. Both are written for care homes but the structure works for home care.
Evidence inspectors may ask for
- Your governance and quality assurance policy and how staff know it.
- Minutes of governance and provider meetings, showing challenge and decisions.
- The audit schedule and completed audits with scores and actions.
- An action log with owners, dates and evidence of completion.
- Monthly governance reports to the provider or board.
- Late and missed visit data and what you did about it.
- Records of feedback and how you responded.
- Notifications made to CQC and referrals to safeguarding teams.
See also what evidence CQC inspectors look for.
Common governance mistakes (our observations)
- A policy that describes meetings and audits that do not happen.
- Audits done but no actions logged, or actions with no owner or date.
- Information reaches the registered manager but not the provider.
- Missed visits recorded but not analysed for patterns.
- No evidence that feedback changed anything.
- A template copied with another provider’s name, roles or processes still in it.
Free template or paid policy set?
What each source offers, as seen on 25 October 2026:
| Source | What you get | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| CQC | Regulation 17 guidance; no governance policy template | Free |
| CQCLogic (this page) | A free Word governance policy template for home care with action log and governance calendar | Free |
| e-Care Hub | A domiciliary care good governance and organisational structure policy as part of its policy service, with fields to complete | Paid service |
| Croneri, PolicyPro, QCS and others | Governance and clinical governance policies for domiciliary care within subscriptions | Subscription |
Whichever you use, adapt it to your agency and keep the records that show you follow it.
Sources and how this was checked
- CQC: Regulation 17, Good governance including guidance on 17(1) and 17(2) (read 25 October 2026).
- Supplier pages read 25 October 2026: e-Care Hub, Croneri, PolicyPro, QCS.
The template, home care measures, frequencies and calendar are our suggestions, not CQC requirements. This is not legal advice.
Run governance without the spreadsheets
CQCLogic keeps audits, actions, evidence, policy review dates and training in one place, with owners and deadlines, so you can show how you check quality. It supports your governance; it does not replace it. See a sample improvement plan, view pricing or get started free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is governance in domiciliary care?
The systems a home care agency uses to monitor the quality and safety of its care, find problems and put them right. CQC’s Regulation 17 requires effective systems, with scrutiny and responsibility at board level or equivalent.
What does CQC expect from a domiciliary care governance policy?
CQC does not require a document with that name, but registration asks for governance and quality assurance policies, and Regulation 17 requires systems that assess services against Regulations 4 to 20A, act on findings, keep accurate records and seek feedback. The policy should show how you do this.
Who is responsible for governance in a home care agency?
The registered provider has overall responsibility, the nominated individual supervises how the activity is managed, and the registered manager runs governance day to day. Coordinators, field supervisors and all staff carry out their parts.
How often should governance meetings be held?
CQC sets no frequency. A common pattern is a team governance meeting monthly and a provider or board review quarterly, with weekly checks of late and missed visits. Choose a rhythm you will keep and record it.
What audits does a domiciliary care agency need?
There is no required list. Common ones are care plans, medicines records, daily records, spot checks, training and supervision, safeguarding and incidents, complaints and recruitment. Our free audit pack includes 12 audits you can adapt.
Do we need a separate governance policy?
Registration asks for governance and quality assurance policies, so you need documents that describe your system. Many providers combine governance and quality assurance in one policy. What matters is that it is accurate and followed.
What is the difference between governance and quality assurance?
Quality assurance is the checking: audits, spot checks and feedback. Governance is the wider system that uses the results: responsibility, reporting, decisions, risk and improvement. See our governance vs assurance guide.
What should a monthly governance report contain?
Audit results and trends, late and missed visits, incidents, safeguarding and complaints with learning, medicines errors, training and supervision compliance, staffing and agency use, feedback, open and overdue actions, risks and notifications made.
Is there a free domiciliary care governance policy template?
Yes. The Word template on this page has 12 sections with fields to complete, an action log and a governance calendar. Adapt every section to your service.