A COVID-19 registration is any application from a health or social care provider where you:

• intend to deliver services which provide additional health and social care capacity in an area
• contribute to the control of the outbreak of coronavirus or the treatment of people who have contracted the illness

When you contact us about your COVID-19 application, we'll need to assess priority. We'll ask you:

• what you're planning to do to support the response to COVID-19
• how registering this service will increase capacity to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic
• what type of service you want to deliver
• which regulated activity you're planning to deliver
• who you plan to deliver the service to
• when you hope to start delivering the service
• why you consider it's urgent to start delivering this service
• have local commissioners contacted you to arrange for this service to be set up specifically in relation to COVID19? For example, a local authority or CCG may have contacted you. We’ll ask you to send a copy of the correspondence to support the need for the urgent application

Examples of application types

We have provided a list of common application types to help you decide whether you need to apply. The list is not exhaustive and you may need to discuss your application with us.

If you need to start your service urgently in response to coronavirus capacity, please contact us. We may be able to prioritise your application. Or we can help to determine the right course of action for you.

• Health care providers already registered
• Health care providers registered but providing new types of activity
• Social care providers already registered
• New health and social care providers

Health care providers already registered

Examples of changes you may want to make:

• new diagnostic and screening procedures - if you’ll only be providing coronavirus testing, check what you need to do
• new buildings, wards, treatment centres or beds on a site you have already registered
• NHS trusts using new buildings, other locations (such as field hospitals), wards, treatment centres or beds at HQ or existing hospital
• new triage and advice services

What you must do

Contact us to determine the right course of action for you.

If you're proposing to deliver services at new sites, you should apply to add the location to your registration.

In some cases, we may allow sites to be added as satellites of existing locations. When you contact us, we'll determine if that's appropriate for your circumstances.

Health care providers registered but providing new types of activity

Examples of changes you may want to make:

• new diagnostic and screening procedures - if you’ll only be providing coronavirus testing, check what you need to do
• new triage and advice services

What you must do

• apply to add a new regulated activity

When we assess your application:

• we will focus on management and response to COVID-19 against safe (including safeguarding) and well-led.
• we may treat the changes as conditions to your registration for the duration of these interim arrangements
• you may be able to make the changes to your service at the same time

Social care providers already registered

Examples of changes you may want to make:

• increase the number of beds at a location - apply to vary the condition on your registration
• add a location - please contact us before you apply

When we assess your application:

• we will focus on management and response to COVID-19 against safe (including safeguarding) and well-led.
• we may treat the changes as conditions to your registration for the duration of these interim arrangements
• you may be able to make the changes to your service at the same time

New health and social care providers

Examples of services you may want to offer:

• services which provide additional health and social care capacity in an area
• services which contribute to the control of the outbreak of coronavirus or the treatment of people who have contracted the illness

What you must do

• apply to register with CQC
• contact us to discuss your application

We can assess your application at the same time as you're setting up your new service to deal with urgent capacity needs.