UK Search and Rescue Teams Face £1,000 CQC Registration Fee or Closure

Voluntary search and rescue teams in Devon and Cornwall are warning that a new Care Quality Commission registration requirement could force them to shut down. The law, recommended after the Manchester Arena bombing inquiry, would require teams to pay £1,000 per organisation and meet complex compliance standards. Teams say the cost and paperwork are impossible for charities running on donations, despite handling 35 call-outs annually on average.

What the new law requires

The Care Quality Commission registration rule stems from a Manchester Arena bombing inquiry recommendation that organisations offering healthcare at events must register with the CQC. The requirement applies to four search and rescue teams covering Dartmoor, Exmoor, Cornwall’s two teams, and the Devon Cave Rescue Organisation. HM Coastguard teams are exempt from the new law, unlike the voluntary search and rescue groups.

Why teams say they cannot comply

Dr Bruce Hughes, team doctor for East Cornwall Search and Rescue Team, said registration was complex and the organisation lacks infrastructure to meet CQC standards. The £1,000 registration fee per team is a massive cost for charities to fundraise against. Dr Ben Morris from North Dartmoor Search and Rescue warned the requirement would prevent teams from supporting local community events and providing safety cover.

The stakes for emergency response

The voluntary teams operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week to find and help lost or injured people. Dr Hughes said: “If we don’t go, there’s nobody else to go.” He added that he is not against regulation of paid first aid activities, but these are volunteer-run, charitably funded emergency services. Disbanding them would leave gaps in emergency response across the region.

Coastguard exemption raises questions

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed HM Coastguard would be unaffected by the proposed changes and its teams are exempt from the new law. The exemption for paid coastguard services but not for unpaid search and rescue teams has drawn criticism from team leaders who argue the distinction ignores the vital role volunteers play in emergency response.

Final Thoughts

The CQC registration rule threatens to close volunteer-run emergency services that operate with no public funding. Teams are calling for common sense to prevail before the law forces them to disband and leaves communities without search and rescue cover.

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