A month on from our CQC Good Certification, our Registered CQC Manger, Eric Bernabe, reflects on our achievement.
The Care Quality Commission, otherwise known as the CQC, is the independent regulator for all health and adult social care services in England. We have proudly achieved Good across each of the CQC’s assessment framework, highlighting that our personal care is safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
“There is a saying that walking is simply controlled falling.”
Every step forward involves a moment of uncertainty, a willingness to move beyond where you are and trust that you will find your balance again. In many ways, our journey as a newly registered care provider has felt exactly like that.
When we first established St Mary’s Team Care, we had a vision, a set of values, and a determination to provide care that was safe, compassionate and genuinely person centred. We did not have all the answers, but we believed in what we were building and remained committed to taking one careful step at a time, learning, adapting and improving as we grew.
Achieving a Good CQC rating feels like reassurance that those steps have been leading us in the right direction. It is not simply recognition of policies, procedures or compliance. More importantly, it reflects a culture built on kindness, professionalism, accountability and genuine care for the people we support.
Just as walking requires balance, providing quality care requires balancing many responsibilities every day. We must listen, learn, respond, adapt and continually improve. Our carers, office team and leaders do this with dedication and compassion, often behind the scenes, because they understand that even the smallest action can make a meaningful difference in someone’s life.
What means the most to me is the trust that people place in us. Families welcome us into their homes and allow us to support them during some of life’s most important and vulnerable moments. That trust is something we earn every day and never take for granted.
This achievement belongs to every member of our team and to every service user and family who has been part of our journey. While we are proud of receiving a Good CQC rating, we do not see it as the destination. Like walking, progress comes from continuing to take the next step, even when the path ahead is not fully visible.
At its heart, care is about people. This rating tells the story of a team that has continued moving forward together, supporting one another, learning from challenges, and remaining committed to doing the right thing. We are proud of how far we have come, but even more excited about the journey ahead.
Most of all, I am grateful. Grateful to our carers who show compassion every day, grateful to our office team who work tirelessly behind the scenes, and grateful to the service users and families who place their trust in us. Being welcomed into people’s lives and homes is a privilege that we never take for granted. This Good rating belongs to all of them. We are proud of what we have achieved together and we look forward to continuing the journey.
Eric, Our Registered CQC Manager.
If you would like, you can read our full, detailed inspection report on the CQC website by clicking here.
