One of the biggest ever surveys asking for people’s experience of care and nursing homes in Suffolk is to be carried out.

Healthwatch Suffolk's project, a collaboration with Suffolk County Council and Ipswich, East and West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), will ask residents, relatives and friends how they feel about homes' standards of care.

Healthwatch says the survey, which is also supported by Care Quality Commission, will "inform positive change and continued good practice".

Andy Yacoub, chief executive, said: "The move to a care or nursing home is a big, always emotional, decision that many of us may need to face in our lifetime.

"When that time comes, we all have the right to expect safe, effective and compassionate care.

"This project is the first large scale independent assessment of people's experiences in Suffolk's care and nursing homes.

"By completing this work, we hope to improve care and support in Suffolk by sharing the things people say are good about our local care homes and helping providers and commissioners of care to understand where improvements could be made."

The survey will pose questions related to a number of topics, including care planning, personal care and support, nutrition and the range of activities provided in homes.

Suffolk's care homes were recently revealed as the fifth best in the country, with more than 87% being rated as good or outstanding by the CQC.

Rebecca Hopfensperger, cabinet member for adult care at Suffolk County Council, said: "This achievement is testament to all those working in the care sector, and while it deserves to be celebrated, we also work hard to constantly improve the care we provide.

"One way to do this is to act on the feedback and opinion of those people we look after and their families. This survey by Healthwatch is an ideal way for you to have your say."

Mr Yacoub added: "Ultimately, our aim is to improve the standard of care in Suffolk and to make it easier for people facing the daunting, sometimes unexpected and life changing, prospect of moving into residential or nursing care in the future."

Take part in Healthwatch Suffolk's survey here.