From Registration to Reality: Our First Quarter as a CQC Registered Complex Care Provider

The first quarter of our newly CQC registered domiciliary care service has focused on setting the tone for everything that follows. This is the period where values are tested, systems are put into practice, and early decisions shape long term culture.

For us at Thriving by Priority Recruitment, this first quarter since achieving CQC registration in August has been about more than growth and compliance. It has been about building a values led complex care provider that delivers outstanding, truly personalised care across the UK, while maintaining a genuinely personal approach.

We have been intentional from the start. Outstanding care does not happen by chance. It takes dedication, teamwork and commitment, something the Thriving team brings to work every single day.

Building Thriving From the Ground Up

Thriving began in 2024 when Priority Recruitment Services explored the opportunity to become a CQC registered provider, delivering specialist domiciliary and complex care services through structured case management.

This journey started with the recruitment of a Registered Manager in February 2025, with a clear goal to expand Priority Recruitment’s services into CQC regulated care and support packages, while holding firmly onto what matters most, people and relationships.

From the outset, we focused on creating strong foundations. Policies, procedures, governance frameworks and quality assurance systems were developed carefully to support safe, effective and compliant care, without unnecessary bureaucracy. We wanted systems that enable confident decision making and high quality outcomes for individuals with complex needs.

We also implemented a digital care management system early on. This allows for clear oversight, accurate care records and strong communication across teams, all of which are essential in delivering consistent, safe and person centred complex care.

By the time we received our CQC registration in August, we were not just ready to operate. We were ready to deliver outstanding domiciliary care that reflects our values and standards.

Truly Personalised Complex Care, In Every Sense

One of the things we are most proud of in this first quarter is how genuinely personalised our care services are.

We currently have 18 support workers delivering care to individuals with complex needs, and every care package has been built around the individual, not the rota.

From day one, service users and their families are treated as partners. We take time to understand not only clinical and support needs, but also preferences, routines, personalities, goals and what a fulfilling life looks like to them. Care planning is collaborative, transparent and continuously reviewed.

Recruitment plays a crucial role in this. We carefully interview and shortlist a small number of candidates who meet both the professional requirements and the personal values needed to deliver high quality complex care. These candidates are then introduced to the service user and their family, often alongside case managers, to ensure a genuine and comfortable match. Only when everyone feels confident do we move forward.

This approach takes time, but it is how personalised domiciliary care should be delivered.

Early Wins That Reflect What Outstanding Care Can Achieve

Personalised complex care should enable people to live full and meaningful lives, not restrict them. Some of our early experiences have been powerful reminders of what is possible when care is flexible and truly person centred.

In our first quarter, we supported one service user to take a 2.5 week holiday to South Africa, including a safari and a helicopter ride. This required detailed planning, skilled support and absolute trust between the individual, their family and the care team.

Another service user was supported on a fishing trip to France, something deeply important to them. These experiences were not optional extras. They were part of living a meaningful life, made possible through thoughtful, respectful and personalised complex care.

These moments reflect what outstanding domiciliary care can achieve when people are supported as individuals.

Consistency, Stability and Trust in Domiciliary Care

Consistency has been a key focus for Thriving. Rotas are planned at least one month in advance, allowing both support workers and service users to know who will be providing care and when. This reduces anxiety, strengthens continuity of care and supports a healthy work life balance for staff.

Our leadership team remains visible and accessible, with a 24 hour on call service managed by senior leadership. Families and staff know there is always someone accountable, approachable and ready to support.

Our Values at Thriving

Our mission at Thriving by Priority Recruitment is simple:

To bring out the best in everyone we work with, to always deliver outstanding care, and to make a real difference in the lives of people who rely on complex care and support.

Our core values guide everything we do:

Attention, tailoring care to individual needs

Work Ethic, being reliable, committed and consistent

Expertise, staying aligned with best practice in complex care

Support, ensuring service users, families and staff feel heard

Openness, embracing inclusivity, diversity and honest communication

Motivation, driven by positive outcomes and quality of life

Excellence, setting high standards and holding ourselves accountable

Alongside these values sit compassion, personalisation, transparency, collaboration and respect. These are non negotiable in how Thriving delivers care and support.

Embedding Values Into Everyday Care

Values only matter if they are reflected in daily practice.

Induction is completed before staff start and reviewed again at four weeks, ensuring expectations and support needs are clear. Supervision takes place every four to six weeks, providing reflective space, guidance and emotional support. Leadership remains present, approachable and proactive.

Decision making is streamlined to reduce unnecessary barriers and ensure timely, person centred outcomes. Recognition also matters. Support work requires emotional and physical commitment. We pay above minimum rates, invest in training beyond mandatory requirements, and are developing a Care Heroes recognition initiative where staff can nominate colleagues who go above and beyond.

Staff Feedback and Workplace Culture

Staff feedback during our first quarter has been encouraging. Morale is strong, engagement levels are high, and early retention indicators are positive.

Common themes include feeling supported, valued and listened to, working within a positive and open environment, and being proud to deliver high quality care to people with complex needs. There is a strong focus on wellbeing, both for staff and for the individuals we support.

Being Honest About the Challenges of Complex Care

Building a new CQC regulated domiciliary care service has not been without its challenges. Balancing demand with quality, maintaining high standards while remaining compassionate, and navigating the realities of complex care requires constant reflection and learning.

This first quarter has reinforced the importance of pacing growth, protecting culture and staying grounded in our values as pressures increase.

A Leadership Reflection

This first quarter has been demanding, grounding and deeply rewarding. It has reinforced what outstanding complex care and domiciliary support truly looks like.

If you are reading this, we want you to feel confident that Thriving by Priority Recruitment is a values led, CQC registered complex care provider that genuinely puts people first, including service users, families and staff.

This is just the beginning, but it is a strong one.

Outstanding care is not a destination. It is a commitment we choose every single day.