The examples below provide insight into how other Good or Outstanding rated services are succeeding in this area of inspection.
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Turning feedback into greater independence
The service actively listened to people and responded through a "You said, we did" approach that increased independence and choice. For example, after people said they wanted to access the garden without having to ask staff for coats or blankets, the service installed an outdoor blanket storage box stocked with freshly laundered, clearly labelled blankets. This simple change enabled people, including those who required support, to make spontaneous decisions to spend time outside independently. The service also used a "wish tree" to capture people's personal goals and aspirations, such as going to the cinema, attending a ballet performance or shopping in Oxford. Staff acted on these wishes, demonstrating how people's feedback directly influenced activities and supported meaningful choice, control and independence.
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Care provider: Oxford Beaumont
Date published: July 2026
Independence, choice, empowered relationships
The service was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care and wellbeing.
The service supported a person’s relationship and ensured they had privacy by adapting their home and garden. One person told us, “It is amazing, I can spend time alone with [person] and see them whenever I want”.
A person who loved animals but became anxious when away from home, was encouraged to care for a dog and regularly took them on long walks. The person’s anxiety had decreased, and they were working towards owning their own dog.
The service employed a sexual safety expert who supported people to explore personal relationships and sexuality. We saw people were empowered to explore and develop personal relationships that benefited their emotional wellbeing. As a result, they were supported to have choice and control; and to make independent decisions about their wellbeing.
When staff identified that a group of people loved football, they worked with another agency to plan a tournament. This enabled people to develop strong relationships and networks with people who had a shared interest in something that was important to them.
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Care provider: Milford Del Support Agency
Date published: July 2025
Independence supported through engagement
The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. The activity co-ordinator met with people on a weekly basis to discuss their interests and what they would like to partake in. People were engaged in a wide range of activities and events which enhanced their wellbeing. For example, seasonal arts and craft sessions, use of the in-house cinema and regular visits from an ice-cream van were popular choices. We saw people were involved in a ‘grow to plate’ initiative, where people were supported to grow produce which was then prepared as a meal by a celebrity chef and served to people. We observed staff interacting with people in an extremely effective and thoughtful way, ensuring people were enjoying a fulfilled life which considered their preferences. One relative said, “The staff listen to [family member] all the time, they hold [family member’s] hand and talk to them for ages. I feel [family member] is treated like an individual.”
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Care provider: Sid Bailey Care 国产乱伦
Date published: June 2025
Independence encouraged, safety prioritised
Care plans were always written to promote independence and to prompt staff to not unintentionally take away any choice or control from people. For example, “I am able to locate and chose the clothing I would like to wear each day; I am able to manoeuvre my upper body into clothing to assist staff.”
Staff were very proud to share with us their many examples of when they went above and beyond to support people, particularly when it came to encouraging independence. For example, staff supported people gradually and safely to become mobile again or supported and encouraged people who suffered with anxiety to get out into the community. One shared with us how a person they supported told them they, “always have their breakfast made for them, and sometimes they would like to do it themselves, so we did it together, I watched and guided them to make a bowl of cornflakes and a pot of tea. They felt fulfilled and happy they had done this themself.”
Staff also completely understood how they had to balance encouraging independence with safety and said, “We encourage all of our clients to do the most that is safe for them to do. For example, if a client can leave the house, we encourage them to be social. But their safety comes first,” and “independence is upheld as much as possible and again differs independence wise from client to client, but we encourage as much independence as reasonably possible for that client.”
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Care provider: Respectful Care
Date published: May 2025
Community connections enhance wellbeing
People continued to be supported by an outstanding range of events, engagement in meaningful activities that were person centred, and which promoted and supported their independence, choice and wellbeing.
Staff and leadership went above and beyond to support people with their social needs, to develop and maintain relationships and to access their social networks and community. People’s wellbeing and engagement benefitted greatly from links, projects and partnerships that the leadership had forged with the local community.
Staff and leaders looked to extend the home’s approach to intergenerational therapy. Intergenerational therapy looks to improve the cognitive functioning, as well as the social and emotional wellbeing of older adults through engagement with younger generations. For example, people received visits from local nursery children and interacted with them for themed entertainment. The providers lifestyle team responded to a residents wish to visit their old school by arranging a personalised tour and interaction with students. The registered manager said, “This relationship has got stronger as we continue for the children to visit us and cement our intergenerational relationship with them.”
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Care provider: Weald Heights
Date published: May 2025
Involving people in the running of the home
People were involved in the running elements of the service. One person was responsible for growing and maintaining indoor plants and planned to grow vegetables outside in the new year. The chef planned to use any suitable vegetables for people's meals.
During they inspection, the CQC saw people helping to prepare tables for dinner. Another person had helped the management team complete the 'first impressions' environment audits. This had made them feel more involved with running their home, and afforded managers the opportunity to see a different perspective on the service and the environment.
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Care provider: Eglantine Villa
Date published: February 2023
Widening social circles and leisure activities in homecare
Staff routinely sought leisure activities and widening of social circles, they discussed how they kept alert to events that the person/people they supported may enjoy.
Staff were focussed on the benefits of people's involvement in their communities and in activities that brought them joy. They had a solution focussed approach, considering potential challenges and triggers, to ensure people had the best chance of success.
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Care provider: Dimensions Dorset West
Date published: January 2023
Tailoring a garden to individual needs
The provider had award schemes in place, to encourage staff and people to be actively involved in the service. For example, Hepworth House had recently won a gardens in bloom award. People had been involved in creating a sensory garden and a fairy garden which were also lit up at night so people could see them. This was a lovely space for them to spend time in that they had helped create.
Diversity was celebrated by the service, some people were provided with raised flower beds to enable them to join in the activity and people living with dementia were provided with a sensory flower bed, such as mixed herbs, colours and windmill sounds. People felt the service was their home.
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Care provider: Hepworth House
Date published: November 2022
Connecting people and reducing the risk of loneliness
The management team concentrated their efforts on reducing the risk of loneliness amongst the people they supported.
The provider recognised this and therefore, now hold monthly social events in a building in the community to provide this opportunity and social interaction. This has proved to be a huge success with immeasurable benefits for people. Now people who may live around the corner from each other and had never had chance to meet or know about each other can do so.
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Care provider: Westmorland 国产乱伦care
Date published: September 2022