KEPA HUBTop 20 Care Policies Every Agency Needs
Every domiciliary care agency needs policies, but not every policy carries equal weight in an inspection. Some get read closely, tested against real incidents, and cross-checked with staff knowledge. Knowing which ones matter most helps you prioritise where to focus first.
The policies inspectors check first
Safeguarding sits at the top of almost every inspection checklist, followed closely by medication management and infection prevention and control. These three areas come up repeatedly because they relate directly to a service user's immediate safety.
- Safeguarding Adults Policy
- Medication Management Policy
- Infection Prevention and Control Policy
- Mental Capacity Act and DoLS Policy
- Whistleblowing Policy
- Complaints Handling Policy
- Equality and Diversity Policy
- Health and Safety Policy
- Lone Working Policy
- Data Protection and Confidentiality Policy
- Moving and Handling Policy
- Recruitment and DBS Checking Policy
- Staff Training and Development Policy
- Business Continuity Policy
- End of Life Care Policy
- Nutrition and Hydration Policy
- Falls Prevention Policy
- Record Keeping Policy
- Visitors and Volunteers Policy
- Equal Opportunities Employment Policy
All 20 of these, plus 60 more, are included in our Policies & Procedures Pack — written around current CQC/CIW expectations. View Policy Pack →
Having the policy isn't the same as living it
Inspectors don't just want to see a safeguarding policy exists — they'll often ask a member of staff what they'd do if they suspected abuse. If the answer doesn't match the policy, that gap gets noticed. Treat every policy as something your team should be able to talk through in their own words, not just something filed away.
Reviewing what you already have
If your agency already has policies in place, the question worth asking isn't "do we have one?" but "when did we last update it, and does it reflect how we actually work now?" Policies that haven't been reviewed in years are a common inspection finding, even when the content itself is reasonable.
Not sure if your existing policies would hold up? We review policies against current CQC/CIW expectations and return tracked-change recommendations. See Policy Review Service →
This article is general guidance. Always confirm current requirements against the latest published CQC or CIW frameworks for your service type.