The Care Quality Commission (CQC), who regulate adult social care in the UK, state that registered providers must have a registered manager in place at all times. This means that if a provider wants to have more than one registered manager, they must employ two separate people to each hold the role. There is no limit to the number of registered managers that a provider can have, as long as there is always at least one in post.
The registered manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the service and ensuring that it meets the requirements of the CQC. They must be ‘fit and proper’ to carry out the role, which means that they must have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to do so.
The CQC recognise that there are benefits to having more than one registered manager in place, as it can provide greater resilience and capacity within the management team. However, they also state that providers must ensure that the registered managers are able to work together effectively to provide high-quality, person-centred care.