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UK Statutory Instrument
2014
United Kingdom
Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
At a glance
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Operator 5
- Any Person 5
- Licence Holder 5
Plus 2 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Run a healthcare business
- 3 steps
Healthcare compliance quick check
- 3 steps
Start a social care provider business
- 5 steps
Respond to a medicines or controlled drugs incident
- 1 step
Respond to a CQC investigation or enforcement action
- 3 steps
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
4 guidesSupporting — topic alignment
4 guidesMentioned in related content
2 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Operators also bound by 730 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (Air Operations) 2012 138 duties
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 of 19 December 2018 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 (Text with EEA relevance) 2018 121 duties
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 of 21 June 2012 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) (repealed) 2012 112 duties
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 75 duties
- Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (Text with EEA relevance) 2016 66 duties
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
Licence Holders also bound by 221 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Petroleum (Current Model Clauses) Order 1999 1999 317 duties
- The Petroleum Licensing (Exploration and Production) (Seaward and Landward Areas) Regulations 2004 2004 123 duties
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 76 duties
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 68 duties
- The Petroleum (Production) (Landward Areas) Regulations 1991 1991 65 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — General
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Citation and commencement
Interpretation
Part 2 — Regulated Activities
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Prescribed activities
Part 3 — Requirements in relation to Regulated Activities
Requirements where the service provider is an individual or partnership
- Ensure fitness and competence to provide health or social care services Operator
Fit and proper persons: directors
- Ensure directors and senior leaders are 'fit and proper' persons Operator
Requirements relating to registered managers
- Ensure registered managers are fit and qualified for their roles Any Person
General
- Comply with fundamental standards and assess mental capacity Licence Holder
Dignity and respect
- Treat service users with dignity and respect Licence Holder
Need for consent
Fine up to £4,000- Obtain valid consent before providing care or treatment Licence Holder
Safe care and treatment
Unlimited fine- Provide safe care and treatment to service users Licence Holder
Safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment
- Protect service users from abuse and improper treatment Operator
Premises and equipment
- Maintain safe, clean, and suitable premises and equipment Operator
Receiving and acting on complaints
- Establish and operate a system for handling complaints Licence Holder
Staffing
- Ensure sufficient, trained and competent staffing Operator
Fit and proper persons employed
- Ensure staff are fit and proper for regulated care activities Any Person
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Requirement where the service provider is a body other than a partnership
Person-centred care
Meeting nutritional and hydration needs
Good governance
Duty of candour
Requirement as to display of performance assessments
Visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices
Part 4 — Compliance and Offences
Offences
Fine up to £2,500- Fail to comply with regulated activity requirements Any Person
Offences: penalties
Unlimited fine- Breach of regulation 11 Any Person
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Guidance and Code
Part 5 — Penalty Notices
Penalty notices
- Pay a fixed penalty notice to avoid prosecution Any Person
Part 6 — Miscellaneous
Transitional and transitory provision
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- CQC cannot prosecute for past failures covered by a valid Warning Notice Statutory regulator
Review
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must review the healthcare regulations every five years Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Revocations
Schedules
Browse 48 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Regulated Activities: General Exceptions
Information Required in Respect of Persons Employed or Appointed for the Purposes of a Regulated Activity
Regulated Activities
Personal care
Maternity and midwifery services
Termination of pregnancies
Services in slimming clinics
Nursing care
Family planning services
Accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care
Accommodation for persons who require treatment for substance misuse
Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
Assessment or medical treatment for persons detained under the 1983 Act
Surgical procedures
Diagnostic and screening procedures
Management of supply of blood and blood derived products etc
Transport services, triage and medical advice provided remotely
(1) Any activity which is carried on—
(1) Defence medical and dental services being—
Treatment provided in a school to the pupils of that...
Any activity which— (a) is carried on for the purpose...
Any activity which involved the carrying on of an establishment...
(1) Subject to paragraph 4, the provision of treatment in...
Paragraph 3 does not apply in relation to—
(1) Medical or dental services provided (otherwise than in conjunction...
Forensic medicine or dental services provided under arrangements made with...
Primary ophthalmic services provided under Part 6 of the 2006...
Services which are provided at or from premises that are...
The provision of first aid by— (a) health care professionals...
Proof of identity including a recent photograph.
Where required for the purposes of an exempted question in...
Where required for the purposes of an exempted question asked...
Satisfactory evidence of conduct in previous employment concerned with the...
Where a person (P) has been previously employed in a...
In so far as it is reasonably practicable to obtain,...
A full employment history, together with a satisfactory written explanation...
Satisfactory information about any physical or mental health conditions which...
For the purposes of this Schedule— (a) “the appointed day”...
Good character and unfit person tests
The person is an undischarged bankrupt or a person whose...
The person is the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order...
The person is a person to whom a moratorium period...
The person has made a composition or arrangement with, or...
The person is included in the children's barred list or...
The person is prohibited from holding the relevant office or...
Whether the person has been convicted in the United Kingdom...
Whether the person has been erased, removed or struck-off a...
Fixed Penalty Offences
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- DoLS — forms and guidance (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Ofsted — the children's social care regulator (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- CQC — register as a new provider (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Applying as a new provider: Guidance - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- Glossary of terms - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- Regulations for service providers and managers - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- Continuing regulatory history: guidance for providers and CQC staff - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- Penalty notices issued to unregistered providers - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Offences - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009: Offences - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- ... and 121 more
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
CQC
PrimaryCare Quality Commission
Independent regulator of health and social care in England. Registers, monitors, inspects and rates hospitals, care homes, GP practices, dental surgeries, and …
General Dental Council
Statutory regulator for dentists, dental nurses, dental hygienists, dental therapists, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians, and orthodontic therapists in the UK.
Explore more
Browse legislation
Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.
Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.