Do I Need CQC Registration as a Private Physiotherapist in England?

The short answer is no, in most cases.

Physiotherapy itself is not listed as a regulated activity under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. This surprises many physios who have come from NHS settings, where CQC inspection is part of life. But CQC regulates the service, not the profession. The HCPC regulates you as an individual practitioner wherever you work.

What CQC actually regulates

The CQC registers and inspects health and social care services that carry out regulated activities as defined in Schedule 1 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. The regulated activities list includes things like treatment of disease, disorder or injury under medical supervision, diagnostic and screening procedures, surgical procedures, and personal care.

Standard private physiotherapy — assessment, manual therapy, exercise prescription, rehabilitation — sits outside this list for most practitioners in most settings.

When a physiotherapist does need CQC registration

There are three situations where the answer changes.

1. Your services extend into regulated activities

If you offer services that fall under the regulated activities list — for example, if you are providing care under close medical supervision in a setting where the boundaries between physiotherapy and medical treatment become blurred — you may need to register. This is uncommon for a standard MSK or outpatient physio practice, but less clear-cut if you work in a multi-disciplinary clinic offering diagnostic procedures or minor interventions.

2. You are operating a service within a regulated setting

If you work as a contractor within a CQC-registered care home or hospital, the registered provider is responsible, not you individually. But if you are the person running and managing that registered service, or if you set up your own service inside a regulated setting, the picture changes.

3. You are running a service that explicitly requires registration

Certain independent clinics require registration even if physiotherapy is the primary offering — for example, if the clinic provides diagnostic imaging, minor surgery, or other listed activities alongside physio treatment. If that describes your setup, contact CQC directly to confirm whether you need to register.

Providing regulated activities without CQC registration is a criminal offence. CQC generally contacts providers first and allows time to register before enforcement action, but do not rely on that.

What you do need as a private physio

Even without CQC registration, a private physiotherapist in England has real compliance obligations.

Requirement	Issued by	What it covers
HCPC registration	Health and Care Professions Council	Your right to practise as a physiotherapist
ICO registration	Information Commissioner's Office	Your duties as a data controller under UK GDPR
Professional indemnity insurance	Your insurer	Clinical negligence claims
Public liability insurance	Your insurer	Claims from patients or members of the public

Some physios also need local authority notification for home-based clinics, or building regulations sign-off for premises modifications. These vary by council.

Frequently asked questions

Does this apply in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland?

No. CQC covers England only. Healthcare regulation in Scotland falls under Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), in Wales under Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW), and in Northern Ireland under the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). The regulated activities lists and registration requirements differ in each nation.

I work as an associate inside a CQC-registered clinic. Do I need my own registration?

No. If you work under another organisation's registration, they are the registered provider. You practise as an individual under your HCPC registration. Confirm this arrangement in writing with the clinic owner.

I am not sure whether my services require registration. What should I do?

Contact the CQC registration team directly. They can advise on whether your specific service requires registration. The call is free and informal. You can also ask your professional body — the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) — for guidance.