Care homes in England face some of the most rigorous fire safety and training requirements of any workplace. Residents may have limited mobility, cognitive impairments, or be unable to self-evacuate — making staff training absolutely critical. CQC inspectors look specifically at fire safety and mandatory training compliance during inspections.
At Cumbria Fire & Safety Training, we deliver a complete range of compliance training for care homes across Cumbria, from fire safety and first aid to safeguarding and manual handling.
Fire Safety in Care Homes: The Legal Framework
Care homes must comply with both the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and CQC Regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment). This means:
- A fire risk assessment must be in place and reviewed regularly (at least annually or after any significant changes)
- All staff must receive fire safety training on induction and at regular intervals
- Fire drills must be carried out and recorded
- Adequate fire detection, alarm systems, and emergency lighting must be installed and maintained
- A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) must exist for every resident who cannot self-evacuate
Mandatory Training for Care Home Staff
Beyond fire safety, care homes must ensure staff are trained in a range of mandatory subjects. We offer all of these:
- Fire Safety — fire awareness + fire warden training
- First Aid — Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) or First Aid at Work (FAW)
- Manual Handling — moving and handling people safely
- Safeguarding Adults — recognising and reporting abuse
- Infection Prevention and Control — hand hygiene, PPE, outbreak management
- Food Hygiene — Level 2 for anyone involved in food preparation
- Medication Handling — safe administration and recording
- Mental Health Awareness — understanding dementia, depression, and anxiety in residents
Why CQC Inspectors Focus on Training
The CQC assesses care homes against five key questions: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-Led. Staff training directly impacts all five, but particularly ‘Safe’ and ‘Effective’. Homes that cannot demonstrate up-to-date training records risk being rated as ‘Requires Improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’.
Having a clear training matrix with evidence of regular, accredited training shows inspectors that your home takes compliance seriously.
Our Care Essentials Training Bundle
We’ve created a Care Essentials bundle specifically for care homes, combining the core mandatory courses at a reduced price. This is ideal for new starters, annual refreshers, or bringing the whole team up to date before a CQC inspection.
On-Site Training Across Cumbria
We understand that care home staff can’t easily leave the premises for training. That’s why we deliver most of our courses on-site at your care home, minimising disruption while ensuring everyone is trained. We cover all of Cumbria including Carlisle, Kendal, Barrow, Workington, and the Penrith area.
We also offer online courses for topics like fire awareness, food hygiene, and safeguarding — perfect for night staff or as a supplement between in-person refresher sessions.
Need a training plan for your care home? Contact us and we’ll put together a tailored programme that covers all your mandatory training requirements.