Business Continuity

Are all staff, including on-call personnel, trained and competent in executing their roles within the Business Continuity Plan?

What we look for: Interview 2-3 staff members and an on-call supervisor. Ask them what they would do if the office burned down or a major winter storm hit. Good looks like staff knowing where to find the BCP and their specific role in an emergency.

Evidence: Training matrix, Staff induction records, On-call guidance, Minutes from staff meetings/briefings

Does the service have robust contingencies for severe weather and localized environmental disruptions preventing staff travel?

What we look for: Check for practical arrangements for snow, flooding, or heatwaves. Good looks like mapped out walking routes, arrangements with local 4x4 owners, or clustering staff to local clients. Fail if there are no practical logistical plans for travel disruptions.

Evidence: Severe weather policy, 4x4 volunteer lists, Staff deployment maps, Winter planning documents

Are all service users RAG-rated (Red, Amber, Green) or similarly prioritised to ensure essential care is delivered during a staffing crisis or emergency?

What we look for: Sample 5 service user files and the master emergency dependency list. You should clearly see who requires immediate, life-sustaining care (Red) vs those whose visits could be delayed or cancelled safely (Green). Fail if this is absent or not updated.

Evidence: Service user dependency lists, RAG rating matrix, Emergency scheduling plans, Care plans

Are emergency contact details for staff, service users, next of kin, and key partner agencies accurate, up-to-date, and accessible off-site?

What we look for: Review the on-call pack or emergency contact database. Sample 3 staff and 3 clients to verify numbers are current. Good looks like a secure, easily accessible list for on-call staff that includes local safeguarding and emergency duty teams.

Evidence: Emergency contact lists, On-call folder, Next of Kin records, Local Authority emergency contacts

Does the service have a robust and tested on-call system to manage out-of-hours emergencies and immediate continuity issues?

What we look for: Review the out-of-hours logs for the past month. Check that management oversight exists for on-call decisions and that the rota ensures consistent coverage with backup options if the primary on-call person is incapacitated.

Evidence: On-call rotas, On-call logbook/system, Handovers, Lone worker monitoring alerts

Is there a comprehensive, up-to-date Business Continuity Plan (BCP) that specifically addresses the risks unique to this domiciliary care service?

What we look for: Review the BCP to ensure it has been updated within the last 12 months and signed by the Registered Manager. Good practice includes specific scenarios (e.g., loss of office, mass staff sickness). Fail if generic or out of date.

Evidence: Business Continuity Plan, Risk Register, Annual Review minutes, Document control logs

How does the provider ensure continuity of operations during an IT outage, cyber-attack, or loss of digital care records?

What we look for: Ask the manager what happens if the eMAR or digital care planning system goes down. Staff must have access to offline emergency contacts and paper MAR/care plan templates. Fail if total reliance on cloud/apps with no accessible offline backup.

Evidence: IT Disaster Recovery Plan, Offline backup logs, Cyber Essentials certificate, Staff guidance for paper recording

Is the BCP regularly tested through simulation (tabletop exercises) and updated following real-life disruptions?

What we look for: Look for evidence of 'dry runs' (e.g., a tabletop exercise simulating a cyber attack or extreme weather). If a real disruption occurred recently, verify that a debrief was held and the BCP was amended with lessons learned. Fail if the plan is never tested.

Evidence: Simulation records, Post-incident reviews, Updated BCP versions, Incident reports