Registered Manager Absent for 28 Days or More: What You Must Tell CQC
Maternity leave, long-term sickness or a sabbatical: here are the notice periods, what the notice must contain and the 7-working-day rule on return.
If your registered manager will be absent for 28 days or more, you must give CQC written notice at least 28 days before it starts. For an emergency absence, you must notify CQC within 5 working days. The notice must say how long the absence will last, why, who will manage the service and what arrangements exist for appointing cover. You must also tell CQC within 7 working days of the manager returning.
This duty comes from Regulation 14 of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 (CQC: Regulation 14). CQC’s intention is to be assured that the service will continue to be properly managed while the person in charge is away.
CQC can prosecute for a breach of this regulation without first serving a warning notice, so plan the paperwork as carefully as the cover. For the full list of notifications, see CQC notifiable events.
Key takeaways
- The duty applies to a continuous absence of 28 days or more of the registered manager, or of the provider where the provider is the person in day-to-day charge.
- Planned absence: written notice no later than 28 days before the absence starts, or a shorter period agreed with CQC.
- Emergency absence: notify within 5 working days of it starting.
- If someone has already been away 28 days with no notice given, notify immediately.
- Notify CQC of the return to duty no later than 7 working days after it.
In this guide
What Are the Notice Periods?
| Situation | When to notify CQC |
|---|---|
| Planned absence of 28 days or more | No later than 28 days before the absence starts, or within a shorter period agreed with CQC |
| Emergency absence | Within 5 working days of the absence starting |
| Absence has already lasted 28 days with no notice given | Forthwith, in writing |
| Manager returns after the absence | No later than 7 working days after the return |
CQC’s notification page says that if 28 days’ notice of a planned absence is not possible, you should contact HSCA_notifications@cqc.org.uk. For this regulation, a “working day” excludes weekends, Christmas Day, Good Friday and bank holidays in England and Wales.
Whose Absence Counts?
The regulation applies where either of these people proposes to be absent from carrying on or managing the regulated activity for a continuous period of 28 days or more:
- the registered manager; or
- the service provider, if the provider is the person in day-to-day charge of the service. This covers sole traders and some small partnerships.
Annual leave, maternity or paternity leave, long-term sickness, a sabbatical, a secondment or a suspension can all be absences. The key word is “continuous”. Count from the first day the person is away.
What Must the Notice Contain?
The notice must be in writing, on the CQC form, and include:
- the length or expected length of the absence;
- the reason for it;
- the arrangements made for managing the regulated activity during the absence;
- the name, address and qualifications of the person who will be responsible for managing the service during the absence; and
- where it is the registered manager who is absent, the arrangements made or proposed for appointing another person to manage the service, including the proposed date by which the appointment will be made.
Send the completed form by email to HSCA_notifications@cqc.org.uk. CQC says it will return an incomplete form, so check that every question is answered.
How to Plan Cover So the Notice Stands Up
CQC is asking whether the service remains well-led while the manager is away. A thin plan invites questions. Use this checklist:
- Name the person in charge and confirm they have the qualifications, experience and authority for the role.
- Write a handover covering audits, open actions, safeguarding, complaints, notifications, rotas and key contacts.
- Agree delegated authority for decisions, safeguarding escalations and CQC notifications.
- Set a supervision and support plan for the person covering, with the nominated individual or area manager.
- Plan for a recruitment gap. If the registered manager will not return, start a recruitment process now. See how to hire a registered manager.
- Consider interim management. See interim registered manager, and speak to CQC about your position if the cover is not registered.
- Keep governance running. Audits, governance meetings and training renewals should continue on schedule.
Telling CQC When the Manager Returns
The registered person must notify CQC of the return to duty no later than 7 working days after the return date. CQC provides a separate “return of a registered individual after an absence of 28 days or more” form. Diary this when you send the original notice so it is not forgotten.
What If the Manager Is Leaving Permanently?
A permanent departure is a change of registered manager, not an absence. That involves cancelling the manager’s registration and getting a replacement registered. See our guide to the change of registered manager notification and the requirement for fit and proper persons in management roles.
Diarising the Dates
CQCLogic’s CQC notification tracker logs notifiable events and deadlines, and its task tracking lets you assign each step, such as the 28-day notice, the handover and the return notification, to a named person with a due date. The tracker records the duty; you still submit the form to CQC yourself.
Diarise every CQC deadline
CQCLogic helps you track notification deadlines and the tasks behind them, including cover and handover plans. See a sample improvement plan, view pricing or get started free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to tell CQC if my registered manager is on maternity leave?
If the registered manager will be absent for a continuous period of 28 days or more, yes. Give CQC written notice at least 28 days before the leave starts, or a shorter period agreed with CQC, and include your cover arrangements.
What if my registered manager is suddenly off sick for a month?
For an emergency absence, notify CQC within 5 working days of it starting, giving the same information as for a planned absence. If 28 days pass without notice, notify immediately.
How do I notify CQC of a registered manager’s absence?
Complete CQC’s “Absence of a registered individual for 28 days or more” form and email it to HSCA_notifications@cqc.org.uk.
Do I need to tell CQC when the registered manager comes back?
Yes. Regulation 14 requires notification of the return to duty no later than 7 working days after the date of return.
Does annual leave count towards the 28 days?
The duty applies to a continuous absence of 28 days or more. A planned period of leave that reaches 28 continuous days is within scope, so check the dates rather than assuming leave is exempt.
Can CQC prosecute for failing to notify an absence?
CQC’s guidance on Regulation 14 says it can prosecute for a breach of the regulation, or part of it, without first serving a warning notice.