An East Anglian care homes company is celebrating an almost-unprecedented accolade after one of its homes was rated outstanding for the third time in a row.

Inspectors - who arrived twice unannounced - praised staff at Brandon Park nursing home near Thetford as "exceptionally compassionate and kind".

The inspection came four years after the last one - andled to a third consecutive outstanding rating from nursing home watchdog the Care Quality Commission.

Just 5% of home achieve an outstanding rating, and the home's overall performance was still an improvement on the last time. It was rated outstanding in three of the five categories reviewed.

East Anglian Daily Times:

Owners Stow Healthcare delivers care to more than 400 residents across its eight residential and nursing homes in Suffolk, Norfolk, and Essex. Three of them are rated outstanding by the CQC.

Director Ruth French said: “To say we are delighted is a complete understatement. 

"Like all other care homes, we have endured a trying three years. Despite all of this, our team has remained focused on what we do best – caring.

"It was a robust inspection, and we couldn’t be happier with the outcome. The reaction of staff, residents, and relatives has just been lovely to see."

CQC inspectors praised the home's "strong and visible, person-centered culture".

"We observed staff were highly motivated, offering care and support that was exceptionally compassionate and kind. This positive culture was because staff had built trusting and positive relationships with people they cared for,” they said.

Home manager Carol Rhind, who joined in the summer, said she was "delighted" at the passion and commitment shown by the team.

"I am proud to lead this home and know we will continue to push for the very highest of standards,” she said.

Governance of the service by the senior team at Bury St Edmunds-based Stow Healthcare was viewed as a strength by inspectors.

Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England, which represents care providers across the UK, said: “Brandon Park is a truly outstanding service and this has been recognised by the Care Quality Commission for an almost unprecedented third time.

"The success of Brandon Park, and other services provided by Stow Healthcare, has its roots in a positive culture that puts the people who use services at the centre of everything they do.

"Stow Healthcare has also shown a commitment to supporting, nurturing, and developing the fantastic staff who deliver care and support, and the organisation is focused on delivering continuous improvement and enabling staff to have the resources to deliver outstanding care”.

The home recently scooped a national award for its ground-breaking Maple Memory Centre - which was named as the Best Innovation in Care at a recent awards ceremony in Birmingham.

Brandon Park accommodates 60 residents and supports specialist nursing, residential and memory care.