12 questions to ask a complex care provider

Funding and choosing care · October 2026 · 3 minute read

The best way to choose a complex care provider is to ask how they make sure every carer can safely do every task for your relative, and what happens when something goes wrong or someone can't come. Good providers answer these questions clearly, with examples, and are happy to show you how it works. Here are 12 questions worth asking, and what to listen for.

Safety and skills

1. Who trains and signs off carers for my relative's healthcare tasks?
Listen for: a named registered clinician who assesses each carer, for your relative specifically, before they work alone. Be wary of "all our staff have done the course".

2. How often are carers reassessed?
Listen for: at least every year, and whenever needs, equipment or medicines change.

3. Will a full team be trained before care starts?
For tracheostomy, ventilation or other higher-risk care, listen for: care starts only when enough trained staff are in place to cover every shift, holidays and sickness.

4. Who can carers call for clinical advice, day and night?
Listen for: a clinician on call around the clock, not only an office manager or a voicemail.

5. How will carers spot that my relative is becoming unwell?
Listen for: training in recognising deterioration, using observations and early warning scores, and a clear plan for who to call and when.

Continuity and reliability

6. How many different carers will we see?
Listen for: a small, consistent team built around your relative, with introductions before anyone new starts.

7. What happens if a carer is ill or can't make it?
Listen for: named back-up staff who are already trained for your relative, not a stranger sent at short notice.

8. How do you cover nights?
Ask whether nights will be waking or sleeping, who supports the night carer, and how they stay alert and safe.

Openness and accountability

9. Are you registered with the Care Quality Commission, and can I see your latest report?
Every provider of personal care or treatment in England must be registered. New services won't have a rating yet, so also ask how they check their own quality: audits, spot checks and feedback.

10. How do you handle incidents and complaints?
Listen for: incidents recorded and reviewed quickly, families told openly when something has gone wrong, and learning shared with the team.

11. How will you work with our NHS team?
Listen for: shared care plans and protocols, regular contact with community nurses and specialist teams, and a clear route to raise concerns with them.

The practical side

12. What will the care cost, and how is it funded?
Listen for: a clear, written price after an assessment, an explanation of which funding routes they work with, and no surprises about extra charges.

A few things to look for during the visit

• Do they ask about your relative as a person, not just their condition?
• Do they ask to see existing care plans, protocols and equipment?
• Are they honest about anything they can't do?

How Eviqa answers them

Eviqa Complex Care was built around these questions. Every carer is trained and signed off by a registered clinician for the person before they work alone, higher-risk packages start only when a full team is ready, and a clinician is on call to our teams 24 hours a day. Ask us any of them, and we'll show you how it works in practice.

Sources

• CQC: Regulation 20, duty of candour (opens in a new tab)

Eviqa Complex Care