Contingency and Business Continuity Audit - Domiciliary Care

Evidence to check

• • Business continuity plan is current and specific to domiciliary care
• • Plan covers visits in people's homes, lone working, travel, staffing, IT, communication and high-risk people
• • Managers can explain how the plan would be used in practice
• • Plan identifies which care must be prioritised if capacity is reduced

Evidence to check

• • Review dates recorded on the BCP
• • Updates made after incidents, adverse weather, IT failures, outbreaks or staffing pressures
• • Version control shows what changed and why
• • Staff are informed when the plan changes

Evidence to check

• • Staff training or briefing records on business continuity
• • Staff can answer scenario questions about disruption
• • On-call, office and care staff understand their responsibilities
• • New staff receive BCP information during induction

Evidence to check

• • Adverse weather or emergency travel plan
• • Priority visit list for people at highest risk
• • Records of action taken during previous weather disruption
• • Staff safety, travel time and communication with people/families considered

Evidence to check

• • Staff shortage escalation procedure
• • Contingency rota, redeployment or agency arrangements
• • High-risk visits prioritised, such as medication, nutrition, personal care and moving and handling
• • Records show missed or shortened visits are reviewed for impact

Evidence to check

• • Emergency contact lists are current
• • Out-of-hours and on-call contacts are accessible
• • Staff can access key contact information during visits
• • Contact details are reviewed and updated regularly

Evidence to check

• • Priority or RAG rating system for people using the service
• • Ratings consider medication, nutrition, moving and handling, cognition, safeguarding, isolation and informal support
• • Priority rating reviewed when needs change
• • Staff and coordinators understand how priority ratings affect visit planning

Evidence to check

• • IT downtime procedure
• • Backup access to care plans, rotas, medication information and emergency contacts
• • Staff know how to record care during system failure
• • Previous IT issues or tests show continuity arrangements worked

Evidence to check

• • Data backup schedule and evidence of successful backups
• • Cyber incident or data recovery plan
• • Access controls and secure storage arrangements
• • Backup restoration tested or confirmed by the system provider

Evidence to check

• • Medication contingency arrangements in the BCP
• • Time-critical medicines identified and prioritised
• • Process for escalating delayed or missed medication visits
• • Communication with GP, pharmacy, family or emergency services where needed

Evidence to check

• • Outbreak or pandemic response section in the BCP
• • Essential visits prioritised during infection risk
• • Staff exclusion, sickness and infection control arrangements
• • Communication records from previous outbreaks or infection risks

Evidence to check

• • PPE stock monitoring records
• • Minimum stock levels or reorder triggers
• • Emergency supply arrangements
• • Staff know how to access PPE when working in the community

Evidence to check

• • Procedure for inaccessible or unsafe home situations
• • Escalation to family, local authority, housing, emergency services or health professionals where required
• • Care plan records alternative arrangements where known
• • Previous incidents show action was timely and person-centred

Evidence to check

• • Emergency communication plan
• • Templates or scripts for contacting people and families
• • Records of communication during previous disruptions
• • Information is prioritised for people at highest risk

Evidence to check

• • On-call rota and escalation process
• • Staff know how to contact on-call support
• • On-call records show timely advice and action
• • On-call arrangements are tested and reviewed

Evidence to check

• • Financial continuity arrangements
• • Payroll contingency process
• • Supplier payment and invoicing backup arrangements
• • Named responsible people for financial continuity

Evidence to check

• • Named BCP leads and deputies
• • Decision-making responsibilities clearly allocated
• • Escalation chart or command structure available
• • Staff know who can make urgent operational decisions

Evidence to check

• • Records of BCP tests or drills
• • Scenarios include realistic domiciliary care risks
• • Staff participation recorded
• • Gaps identified during tests lead to action

Evidence to check

• • Debrief or lessons learned records
• • BCP updated after learning
• • Actions allocated and followed up
• • Learning shared with office staff, care staff and managers

Evidence to check

• • Recovery phase included in BCP
• • Post-disruption welfare checks for people using the service
• • Review of missed, late or changed visits
• • Actions to clear backlogs, update records and restore normal rota arrangements

Evidence to check

• • Records of mutual aid or partnership discussions
• • Local authority or commissioner escalation routes
• • Contact details for partner organisations
• • Plan explains when external support would be requested

Evidence to check

• • Utility failure scenarios included in the BCP
• • High-risk people dependent on electricity, heating, oxygen, equipment or telecoms identified
• • Escalation to utility providers, family, professionals or emergency services where needed
• • Backup communication arrangements in place

Evidence to check

• • Transport contingency plan
• • Rural or hard-to-reach people identified
• • Alternative transport or visit prioritisation arrangements
• • Staff travel safety and fatigue considered

Evidence to check

• • Training records linked to business continuity
• • Drill and test records
• • Review logs and action plans
• • Governance records show oversight of readiness

Evidence to check

• • Governance meeting minutes
• • Risk register includes continuity risks
• • Quality reports review missed visits, staffing pressures, IT issues and emergency events
• • Senior leaders monitor BCP actions and risks

Evidence to check

• • Staff debrief records
• • Staff feedback after incidents or drills
• • Changes made as a result of staff experience
• • Staff feel able to raise concerns about emergency arrangements

Evidence to check

• • Priority planning considers individual needs, preferences and risks
• • People and families are kept informed where visits change
• • Alternative arrangements protect medication, nutrition, personal care and safety
• • Dignity and consent are considered during emergency changes

Evidence to check

• • Deputy or succession arrangements recorded
• • Senior staff know delegated responsibilities
• • Access to key systems, contacts and decision-making routes is maintained
• • Leadership absence arrangements are tested or reviewed

Evidence to check

• • Missed, late or shortened visit logs
• • Impact on medication, food, fluids, personal care, continence or safety assessed
• • Safeguarding considered where people were left at risk
• • Learning used to improve future contingency planning

Evidence to check

• • Information provided about emergency arrangements
• • People know how to contact the service during disruption
• • High-risk people and families understand priority planning where relevant
• • Communication is accessible and tailored to the person

Evidence to check

• • Out-of-hours scenarios included in BCP testing
• • Weekend and evening escalation routes checked
• • On-call staff know how to access key information
• • Learning from out-of-hours incidents is reviewed