Suffolk nursing home owners say they are thrilled after one of their homes was awarded a coveted top rating by inspectors.

East Anglian Daily Times: Roger Catchpole at Brandon Park nursing home, which has gained an 'outstanding' rating from inspectors. Picture: GREGG BROWNRoger Catchpole at Brandon Park nursing home, which has gained an 'outstanding' rating from inspectors. Picture: GREGG BROWN

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said Brandon Park Residential and Nursing Home was “outstanding” following an unannounced inspection in July.

The home is one of four owned by the Catchpole family, who started Stowlangtoft Healthcare in 2010 as a farm diversification with one home in a listed building.

Since then, the business has gone from strength-to-strength, with other homes based in listed buildings joining the portfolio.

Brandon Park provides accommodation and personal care for up to 55 older people, some of whom are living with dementia.

East Anglian Daily Times: Roger Catchpole at Brandon Park nursing home, which has gained an 'outstanding' rating from inspectors. Picture: GREGG BROWNRoger Catchpole at Brandon Park nursing home, which has gained an 'outstanding' rating from inspectors. Picture: GREGG BROWN

“There was an exceptionally strong ethos within the home of treating people as individuals and with respect,” the inspectors’ report said.

“People were at the forefront of their care. Information was given to people about how to raise any concerns they may have and where concerns were raised these were dealt with speedily and in detail. Relatives said they felt welcomed at the service and felt their family member was very well cared for.”

The report said the home was “extremely responsive” to people’s needs and people received “exceptionally personalised care and support which they were in control of”.

“Excellent leadership was demonstrated at all levels,” it said and staff were “kind and caring”.

East Anglian Daily Times: Roger Catchpole at Brandon Park nursing home, which has gained an 'outstanding' rating from inspectors. Picture: GREGG BROWNRoger Catchpole at Brandon Park nursing home, which has gained an 'outstanding' rating from inspectors. Picture: GREGG BROWN

Managing director Roger Catchpole said: “We are thrilled. To be honest, the main feeling is of validation of what we have been working towards.”

Stowlangtoft bought the home from Bupa in 2014, and had since been working to improve the accommodation as well as the care, he said. They had also focused on recruiting and retaining a strong management team.

The improvement had been “amazing”, he said, adding: “It has been a team effort. It’s taken a lot of sweat and hard work - there has not been a short-cut to it.”

He and the other family members involved, including his sister, Ruth, and ex ‘super head’ Catherine, had come with skills from outside the industry but had taken a fresh perspective, he said, giving the homes a ‘boutique hotel’ feel.

“It’s nice to have that validation from the CQC that what we are doing is right.”