How do you register an independent clinic with HIW?

Send HIW a registration enquiry, then submit one complete application through its secure portal with your statement of purpose, patients' guide, policies index, references and fee. HIW checks it, visits the premises, interviews your registered manager and aims to decide within 12 weeks of accepting a complete application.¹

Who has to register

In Wales, an independent clinic is a premises where private only medical services are provided regularly by doctors registered with the General Medical Council. A Wales based service with no fixed premises that provides private medical services remotely or online is an independent medical agency. A service using Class 3B or 4 lasers or intense pulsed light registers as an independent hospital, as does a service with overnight beds or one providing other listed services such as endoscopy, dialysis or IVF.²

Carrying on or managing an establishment or agency without registration is an offence under section 11 of the Care Standards Act 2000.³ HIW investigates services it believes are operating without registration and says it will seek to prosecute.⁴ In May 2026 it issued a caution to a provider that had offered laser treatments at a clinic in Flintshire while unregistered between June 2024 and July 2025.⁵ If you are unsure which category applies, HIW asks you to send its Registration Enquiry form before you apply.²

The five stages of HIW registration

1. Send a registration enquiry. Use HIW's Registration Enquiry form online or by email. HIW does not give registration advice by phone. The outcome letter explains how to set up the secure portal HIW uses for applications.
2. Submit the application and every document together. A signed and dated application form, statement of purpose, patients' guide, policies and procedures index, references, business plan, public liability insurance, planning permission evidence, and proof of identity for the registered manager and responsible individual.
3. Pay the fee. HIW will not visit or grant registration until the fee is paid. The fee stays payable if the application is withdrawn or refused.
4. Prepare for the assessment. HIW checks the application is complete, quality checks the information, references and DBS, then makes a pre-registration site visit and interviews the registered manager on their fitness to manage.
5. Respond to the decision. HIW issues a notice of proposal and then a notice of decision. You have 28 days to make representations on each, and you can appeal to an independent tribunal.

The statement of purpose is required under Regulation 6 and Schedule 1 of the 2011 Regulations, and HIW will not progress an application without it. The patients' guide, under Regulation 7, must include a summary of the statement of purpose, the full charges, a standard contract, how to complain, HIW's contact details and how to get inspection reports.¹⁶

What HIW registration costs

These are the figures HIW publishes on its registration guidance page.¹ Check them on the day you apply, since fees are set in regulations and can change.

The registered manager interview

Under Regulation 12, HIW assesses whether the manager has integrity and good character, the qualifications, skills and experience to manage the service, and the physical and mental fitness to do it. Managers send employment history for the past 15 years with any gaps explained, complete a questionnaire, and are interviewed by two HIW staff, usually on the day of the site visit. The manager needs an enhanced DBS check issued within the last three years, or a check through the DBS Update Service.¹

1. Application form, signed and dated on ______
2. Statement of purpose, agreed on ______
3. Patients' guide, including full charges and how to complain ______
4. Policies and procedures index, last reviewed ______
5. GP medical reference for the registered manager ______
6. Two references, one from an employer of at least 3 months ______
7. Financial reference from bank or accountant ______
8. Business plan, public liability insurance, planning permission ______
9. Identity documents for manager and responsible individual ______
10. Laser or IPL only. Laser protection adviser, local rules, treatment protocols ______
11. Fee paid on ______

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After registration

HIW issues certificates and lists the service publicly. You must keep meeting the regulations, report notifiable events and pay the annual fee. HIW may inspect at any time, and aims to inspect each independent service at least once every three years.¹⁷ The guide to preparing for an HIW inspection covers what happens then, and the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales hub sets out the three themes and the 25 standards.

Questions

How long does HIW registration take?

HIW aims to decide within 12 weeks of accepting a fully complete application. Missing information is usually requested within 10 working days, and the clock runs longer if it is not returned within 5 working days.

Does a laser or IPL clinic register as a clinic?

No. A service using Class 3B or 4 lasers or intense pulsed light registers with HIW as an independent hospital, with extra requirements such as a laser protection adviser, local rules and treatment protocols.

Do I have to renew HIW registration every year?

Registration continues while you meet the regulations, but an annual fee is payable. For an independent clinic HIW lists it as a £500 flat rate.

Can I apply by phone or post?

HIW does not give registration advice by phone. It expects the enquiry form first, then all application documents together through its secure portal.

Sources

1. 1HIW, 2026Guidance for registering as an independent healthcare providerRead source
2. 2HIW, 2026Who needs to register with us?Read source
3. 3legislation.gov.uk, 2000Care Standards Act 2000, section 11, Requirement to registerRead source
4. 4HIW, 2026Providing services without being registeredRead source
5. 5HIW, 2026Caution issued to provider using unregistered laser servicesRead source
6. 6legislation.gov.uk, 2011The Independent Health Care (Wales) Regulations 2011Read source
7. 7HIW, 2025How does HIW inspect independent services?Read source

Written by the wai team from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales guidance, checked on 15 October 2026. This is guidance, not legal advice. HIW does not endorse wai or any software.