Care4LifeHealthcare Services (Corby)

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated Outstanding.

This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care

This service scored 89 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service demonstrated an exceptionally strong shared vision, built around deeply embedded person-centred values including honesty, involvement, compassion, dignity, independence, respect, equality- and safety. These values were not only clearly articulated but were consistently understood, owned and lived by the entire staff team. Staff confidently described how these principles shaped every aspect of their practice, reflecting a culture where person centred- care was the unquestioned norm.

Leaders and managers created and sustained an Outstanding culture of openness, positivity and accountability. They were highly visible, approachable and actively modelled the service’s values in their everyday interactions with people, families and staff. Their behaviour set a strong example and ensured expectations were clear, consistent and fully aligned with the service’s vision.

Practice was monitored with rigorous and reflective oversight, including regular observations, supervision and ongoing discussions that supported continuous learning. This ensured the culture remained strong, coherent and values driven-. Staff told us they felt empowered and supported, describing the service as a place where everyone worked together in the best interests of the people they supported, with one staff member highlighting the “positive culture of collaboration within our service.”

Feedback from external professionals reinforced this shared direction. One told us, “When we visit, they are always welcoming, open and transparent,” demonstrating a culture grounded in honesty and partnership. Families also described the environment as welcoming, respectful and dedicated to genuinely listening to and involving the people who use the service.

This strong, shared sense of purpose created a highly consistent and positive culture, where people felt safe, valued and exceptionally well supported, and where staff worked together in their commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes.

Leaders and managers demonstrated exceptional capability, compassion and inclusivity, creating a deeply positive culture in which both people and staff felt consistently valued, respected and supported. One person told us, “I have worked with the manager for a few years now and she has always been extremely professional and approachable,” reflecting the strong, trusting relationships leaders had built.

Leaders showed an expert understanding of the needs of people with a learning disability and promoted a service that was unfailingly caring, respectful and person centred. Leaders were highly visible, approachable and actively engaged in day to day practice. Staff told us they felt completely comfortable raising concerns, sharing ideas and offering suggestions for improvement, and that leaders genuinely listened. Team meeting minutes showed managers encouraged open, reflective discussion, ensuring staff felt empowered to contribute to service development. One staff member said, “I truly believe that the leaders at this service have the right mix of knowledge, experience and skills to lead effectively. They show a solid understanding of safeguarding, care planning and the unique needs of the individuals they look after.”

Managers demonstrated a strong understanding of CQC requirements and best practice guidance. Records showed they remained consistently up to date with relevant changes and communicated these promptly and clearly to the team, supporting a culture of continual learning. Leaders ensured staff had access to high quality training, resources and professional support, enabling them to deliver safe, effective and personalised care. They responded swiftly and proactively when issues were identified, demonstrating accountability and a commitment to improvement. Leaders also championed equality, diversity and inclusion across the service, ensuring people’s rights were upheld and all staff were treated fairly. This compassionate, values driven leadership helped create a highly stable, motivated and confident workforce.

Staff shared a strong understanding of the service’s values and worked collaboratively to achieve outstanding outcomes for the people they supported. There wasn’t a high turn over of staff or reliance on agency staff evidencing that staff felt valued. All staff were included and encouraged to progress with formal health and social care qualifications.

Staff felt able to raise concerns and told us they understood their responsibility to speak up if they witnessed poor practice or had worries about people’s safety.

Leaders promoted an open and transparent culture where staff were encouraged to share concerns without fear of blame. We saw whistleblowing and Freedom to Speak Up policies and procedures, and staff knew how to access these and who to contact if they needed external advice. During our discussions, staff told us they felt listened to and confident that leaders would take concerns seriously and act promptly. Managers demonstrated a willingness to learn from issues raised and used feedback to improve the quality of care for people they supported. This supportive approach helped create an environment where staff felt safe to speak up, ensuring people received consistent, safe and good quality care

Staff told us they felt consistently treated fairly, respected and valued by the service. They described a workplace where they could be themselves, and where individuality and diversity were accepted. Comprehensive training in equality, diversity and human rights equipped staff with a strong understanding of their responsibilities and supported highly inclusive, person centred practice. Leaders demonstrated a deep and proactive commitment to maintaining a positive, respectful and empowering working environment. Staff told us they felt genuinely listened to, supported and encouraged to express their views, and they spoke of a culture where everyone’s contributions were welcomed and appreciated. This inclusive approach fostered a team, who worked collaboratively and consistently delivering care of an exceptional standard.

The service had effective governance and management arrangements that supported safe, consistent care.

Leaders ensured the model of care followed current best practice and aligned with CQC’s ‘Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture’ guidance, promoting independence, choice and person-centred support. Managers had a clear understanding of their regulatory responsibilities, including the need to submit statutory notifications promptly and accurately, and records showed these were completed in line with requirements.

Quality audits, reviews and monitoring systems were used effectively to identify areas for improvement, with actions followed through. The service also had business continuity plans in place to ensure people’s care would continue safely in the event of an emergency, such as staffing shortages, environmental issues or unexpected disruptions. Leaders promoted a culture of transparency, accountability and continuous improvement, helping maintain a stable and sustainable service that could reliably meet people’s needs.

The service worked well with local partners and community organisations to support people’s needs and promote positive outcomes. Staff had a clear understanding of which partners and stakeholders were available to the service such as learning disability teams, GPs, community nurses, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and social workers. We saw records which showed they knew how best to access this support when required. This helped ensure people received the right specialist input at the right time.

Leaders told us they valued strong partnership working and felt the service had good relationships with external professionals. One person told us, “I feel that the person is in a safe and caring service who would recognise any problems quickly”.

The service demonstrated a positive commitment to learning, improvement and innovation. We saw a service improvement plan based on outcomes, actions, and identified areas for improvement. We saw robust quality assurance systems in place, including regular audits, reviews and checks that helped identify where improvements were needed. We saw that policies and procedures had been updated and strengthened as a direct result of learning from incidents, and feedback from families and staff.

Leaders told us they were preparing to introduce a new system to improve how feedback is gathered and analysed, aiming to make it easier to identify themes and respond more quickly to people’s views. Staff said they felt encouraged to share suggestions and that managers listened and acted when improvements were needed. This focus on learning and improving meant the service continued to evolve and respond effectively to the needs of people they support.