Care Inspectorate Wales
Global keyword search
HTML Document

Guide to compiling a statement of purpose - Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016

The statement of purpose is a legal requirement. If you make an application to register a service with us you have to include a statement of purpose as part of your application.

Published: 8 January 2024
Last updated:
Print

Information about the statement of purpose

1. What is a statement of purpose? 

1.1. The statement of purpose is a key document. It is developed primarily for you, the regulator and commissioners. It sets out the vision for the service and your aspirations for meeting the needs of the people you care for.  It should clearly demonstrate that you fully understand their needs and demonstrate how, particularly through the levels and training of staff, the care routines, the environment and your links to other agencies, you will do your best to promote the best possible outcomes for the people you care for.  

1.2. The information in your statement of purpose must be accurate, kept up to date and should always reflect the range of needs your service is able to meet, including any specialist services. In preparing or updating a statement of purpose, service providers should consider the offence of making a false statement under section 47 of the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 (the 2016 Act).  

2. Who is the statement of purpose for? 

2.1. The statement of purpose is a legal requirement. If you make an application to register a service with us, you have to include a statement of purpose as part of your application. This will tell us: 

  1. details about you. 
  2. where the service is located.   
  3. the type of the service you provide.
  4. if you are a restricted children’s service, include your legal entity and a declaration of your not-for-profit status 
  5. the aims and objectives of the service; and 
  6. how the service will be provided.

2.2. While the statement of purpose can be used to provide information to anyone who may have an interest in your service. Its primary use under the 2016 Act is to provide a benchmark for you, the regulator and commissioners to measure how the service is performing. 

2.3. When considering your application to register, we will need to be satisfied that your service will make proper provision for the well-being of people and is able to meet the standards required in the regulations. The statement of purpose will be a key source of evidence used by us to inform decisions to grant or refuse applications for registration and variations to registration. 

2.4. Following registration, we will consider whether the service is being provided in line with the statement of purpose at every inspection. 

3. Does a service provider need more than one statement of purpose?

3.1. For accommodation-based services, a statement of purpose is required for each location where a service is provided.

3.2. For domiciliary support services, a statement of purpose is required for each regional partnership area in which the service is being provided.

3.3. For fostering, adoption, adult placement and advocacy services, only a single statement of purpose is required for the service being provided anywhere in Wales.   

4. When does the statement of purpose need to be amended? 

4.1. You should amend your statement of purpose when you make changes which results in it no longer accurately describing the service you provide and/or how it is provided.  You should review your statement of purpose at least annually or when changes are being made to the service. 

4.2. When significant changes to the service are going to be made, there is a requirement to inform the regulator 28 days in advance of the proposed changes using our online notification process. You will need to submit your amended statement of purpose: 

Examples of significant changes include:

  • where a service which does not provide nursing care intends to provide nursing care; 
  • provision of additional specialist services e.g. palliative care or acquired brain injury; 
  • where a specific service referred to in the statement of purpose is to be withdrawn; or
  • changes to the normal staffing arrangements as described in section 5 of the statement of purpose.

Please refer to section 3 ‘'Range of needs of the individuals for whom the regulated service is to be provided'. Within the Statement of Purpose template which can be found on our  Register a service page.

4.3. We will consider the changes proposed and will need to be satisfied that: 

  1. your service will continue to make proper provision for the well-being of people using your service; 
  2. is able to meet the standards required by the regulations; and 
  3. does not constitute a change that requires an application for a variation of your registration.

5. The legal context for the statement of purpose 

5.1. Schedule 2 of The Regulated Services (Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2017 sets out the information which must, as a minimum be included within the statement of purpose. A list of this required information can be found at Annex 2 below. 

5.2. Regulations 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 of The Regulated Services (Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended by The Regulated Services (Annual Returns and Registration) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2019, places specific requirements on the provider in relation to the statement of purpose when making an application to register or vary a regulated service. A list of this required information can be found at annex 1.

5.3. In addition, the statement of purpose is referenced in many of the regulations within the following: 

These regulations set out the requirements in relation to service providers and responsible individuals. 

6. Links with the Quality of Care Review and annual return

6.1. The 2016 Act requires Responsible Individuals of registered services to prepare a quality of care review for the service provider, at least every six months. This review should evidence how the service is meeting the aims and objectives as set out in the Statement of Purpose. Guidance on completing a quality of care review is available here: Already registered services | Care Inspectorate Wales

6.2. The 2016 Act requires registered service providers to submit an annual return following the end of each financial year. The annual return must include the information set out in section 10 of the 2016 Act and the annual return regulations made under the Act.  This includes the provision of a statement of compliance with the requirements as to the standards of care and support set out within the regulations. Guidance on completing the Annual Return is available here: Annual return | Care Inspectorate Wales

6.3. Providers must declare their profit status and provide evidence of compliance with the not-for-profit requirement in their annual return

Annex

Annex 1: The Regulated Services (Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2017: Regulation 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8

Annex 2: Schedule 2, The Regulated Services (Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2017: Information required to be contained in a statement of purpose 

Glossary of terms

Accommodation based services: These include care home services, residential family services and secure accommodation services and Special School Residential Services.

Domiciliary support services: These include supported living arrangements. 

Regional partnership area: These are the regional partnership areas set out in the Partnership Arrangements (Wales) Regulations 2015. These regulations require local authorities and local health boards to make partnership arrangements to carry out specified functions. Within these regulations seven partnership areas are identified.  They are as follows: 

  1. Partnership arrangements under the direction of Gwent regional partnership Board 
    • Aneurin Bevan University Health Board 
    • Monmouthshire County Council 
    • Newport City Council 
    • Torfaen County Borough Council 
    • Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council 
    • Caerphilly County Borough Council
  2. Partnership arrangements under the direction of North Wales regional partnership board 
    • Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board 
    • Flintshire County Council 
    • Wrexham County Borough Council 
    • Isle of Anglesey County Council 
    • Gwynedd County Council 
    • Denbighshire County Council 
    • Conwy County Borough Council
  3. Partnership arrangements under the direction of Cardiff and Vale regional partnership board 
    • Cardiff and Vale University Health Board 
    • Cardiff City and County Council 
    • Vale of Glamorgan Council
  4. Partnership arrangements under the direction of West Glamorgan regional partnership board 
    • Swansea Bay University Local Health Board 
    • Swansea City and County Council 
    • Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
  5. Partnership arrangements under the direction of Cwm Taf Morgannwg regional partnership board 
    • Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Local Health Board 
    • Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council 
    • Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council 
    • Bridgend County Borough Council 
  6. Partnership arrangements under the direction of the West Wales regional partnership board 
    • Hywel Dda University Health Board 
    • Pembrokeshire County Council 
    • Carmarthenshire County Council 
    • Ceredigion County Council 
  7. Partnership arrangements under the direction of Powys regional partnership board 
    • Powys Teaching Health Board 
    • Powys County Council

Specialist care/service: When we refer to a specialist service, we mean a service that is specifically tailored to care for a specific group of people or with a particular type of condition – for example acquired brain injury, learning disability, sensory impairment etc.  This will include a higher than average level of need which may require: 

  • special training and or qualifications to understand and meet needs; 
  • an environment designed to support the particular condition or group of people; 
  • specialist equipment to support the particular condition or group of people; and/or 
  • higher intensity of skilled support hours. 

Models of care: This is the approach or the way services are delivered. Models of care are normally based on best practice in the care for a particular group of people as they progress through the stages of a condition, injury or event.

Concerns about care? Please let us know if you have any concerns about us, a service, or a member of care staff. Raise a concern