HCA Membership
Support, a voice, and people who understand care.
Run your service with a team behind you
Hampshire Care Association is a membership organisation for CQC-registered adult social care providers across Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth.
Membership gives you and your team practical help when you need it, a say in the decisions that affect your service, and a community of people who know the work.
Join us today How it differs from the free Network
Membership starts at £220 a year
What membership gives you
Three ways HCA supports your service: we speak up for you, help when you need it, and help you learn and improve.
Voice
Your voice in the conversations and decisions that matter
Representation
We represent adult social care providers’ views and experiences with local councils, the NHS, the ICB and CQC, locally and nationally; we are members of the South East Social Care Alliance (SESCA) and several national trade bodies.
Relationships with senior partners
We connect members with senior leaders across health and social care, including Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council, the NHS, the ICB and Skills for Care.
Surveys, polls and consultations
Share your views on the issues affecting your service and help shape HCA’s priorities and the wider sector’s response.
Support
Practical help when you need it most
Phone and email support
Get practical help and guidance from the HCA team when you need it.
Policy briefings and sector alerts
Stay up to date with clear, timely information on changes that affect your service.
HCA WhatsApp community
Receive timely updates and connect with other providers to share experiences and support.
Provider network meetings
Join Hampshire-wide and Portsmouth specific meetings to exchange ideas, discuss shared challenges and learn from peers.
Discounted products and services
Access exclusive discounts on products and services offered by HCA Patrons.
Quality
Learning and improving together
Member-only webinars
Access webinars and expert updates, including sessions with the CQC and DBS.
HCA Member Resource Hub
Find practical guides, templates and exclusive member resources and benefits in one place.
Free IHSCM membership
Give your team access to leadership development, learning, courses and events through IHSCM, worth £156 per person per year.
Hampshire Care Awards
Celebrate your team’s achievements with the opportunity to nominate colleagues and services, plus early access to tickets.
HCA conferences
Benefit from early access and discounted tickets to two conferences each year.
Certificate and digital badge
Show your commitment to quality care with recognition of your HCA membership.
Services we run for the sector
Hampshire Care Awards
Celebrating the people behind outstanding care across the county.
Data Security and Protection Toolkit
Free digital health checks and help to complete your DSPT and keep your data safe.
International Recruitment Hub
Guidance on recruiting and supporting staff from overseas.
Provider Support Service
One place to call when you don't know where to turn.
In our members' words
“HCA means a great deal to me, both professionally and personally. It provides a strong, collective voice that speaks up for care managers, especially in moments when it can feel like no one else is advocating for us. That sense of representation and solidarity is incredibly reassuring.”
Hannah Dear,
Registered Manager, Willow Tree Lodge Care Home
“Hampshire Care Association is an invaluable support. They ensure our needs are heard in what is an ever-changing and demanding sector. Being a member feels that support is always there and offers fantastic value for money.”
Wendy Dunford
Registered Manager, Pax Hill Care Home
“HCA has been a much-needed association for care providers in Basingstoke. It brings us together as a community and provides a platform to learn, share, and support one another. The WhatsApp groups are particularly valuable, with members always willing to offer guidance and solutions.”
Evelyn Makoni
Registered Manager, Seven Star Care
The free Network and membership
Hampshire Care Network is a free way to stay informed. Membership adds direct support, representation and a community of peers.
FREE Hampshire Care Network | PAID HCA | |
| Monthly Newsletter | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sector news & updates | ✓ | ✓ |
| Events | ✓ Information only | ✓ Information + priority/exclusive access |
| Regular HCA communications | ✓ | ✓ |
| Access to selected resources | ✓ Limited taster | Full member-only library |
| Specialist support & guidance | — | ✓ |
| Discounted products & services | — | ✓ |
| Networking opportunities | — | ✓ |
| Representation & influence | — | ✓ |
| Join Free | Paid Membership |
Which membership is right for you?
We offer options to suit different providers and the number of your services. All HCA members have access to the benefits on this page.
Membership starts from £220 a year, that's less than £5 a week!
Individual Membership
£220 a year
For single-site providers with one registered service. Access for one person.
Joint Membership
£280 a year
For small teams of up to three users, or providers with up to three registered locations.
Group Membership
£580 a year
For providers with 4 CQC locations across Hampshire, Portsmouth or Southampton, with access for up to 4 people, services or locations.
Larger Group Membership
From £580 a year
For 5 or more CQC-registered locations. The fee is based on the number of services and contacts you need. Get in touch, and we will confirm the total for your organisation-wide membership.
Common questions
Who can join?
HCA membership is for CQC-registered adult social care providers operating in Hampshire, Portsmouth or Southampton. Members include residential homes, nursing homes, domiciliary care services as well as disability services.
Is VAT included in the fee?
The membership fee is inclusive of VAT so the prices you see are what you pay.
How are our fees set?
HCA membership fees are based on the size of your organisation, including the number of registered services and the number of people who need access. This means the fee reflects what each member brings to and gets from the HCA community, so larger groups contribute more overall than single-site providers.
Every HCA member has access to the same benefits, whatever their size. For larger groups, we offer organisation-wide membership, so everyone who needs access can be part of the HCA community under one agreement. We review our fees regularly to keep them fair across the whole HCA membership.
How does joining work, and how long does it take?
You can sign up to membership anytime online. Simply choose the right level of membership for your service(s) and enter your details on the online membership registration form and pay online. You will receive a welcome email once confirmed and one of our team will be in touch within 2-3 working days with your membership certificate(s). For larger groups, the onboarding is handled manually so if you are operating more than four services across our region, please get in touch with the team to discuss joining.
Can I cancel?
If you change your mind, you may cancel within 14 days of your membership start date for a full refund, provided you have not made substantial use of member benefits during that period. If you have used member benefits during those 14 days, we may deduct a fair, proportionate amount reflecting that use. Outside of this initial 14-day period, Membership Fees are non-refundable, including where you cancel partway through a Membership Year or choose not to renew, except for the renewal-payment refund window described in Section 8 of our Membership Terms and Conditions. This reflects that HCA plans its advocacy, events and support around confirmed membership income for the year ahead.
I'm on the free Network. Can I move to membership?
Absolutely. As Hampshire Care Network is for all colleagues in any CQC-registered service across our area, some in the free network may already be connected to an HCA member. If you are, and would like more of your team to join, get in touch, and we can 'upgrade' your membership pro rata or at renewal. If you are not connected to an HCA member service, select the relevant membership tier for your service, sign up online via the registration form, and pay for the membership online.
What are the membership terms and conditions?
The full terms and conditions for Hampshire Care Association membership are available in the Members Resource Hub here.
Not sure if membership is right for you?
We're always happy to talk through what membership could offer your service, with no obligation.
Get in touch See membership options
Or stay informed for free with the Hampshire Care Network.
