Caring for up to 59 residents, including some living with dementia, the Sturminster Newton home was praised for being exceptionally well-led and effective and safe, caring and responsive.

“Staff are passionate about making a real difference in people’s lives,” said CQC’s head of inspection in the South West, Amanda Stride. “They are knowledgeable and have the skills to care for people with varying needs. They have created a home away from home, with each area of the service thoughtfully designed and adapted to suit people’s needs and interests.”

Colten Care’s Admiral Nurse team who support and offer specialist advice to families and the wider community on living with dementia was praised for its expertise.

Community links were also highlighted in the home’s approach to providing companionship for residents.

The 20-page report states: For example, one person had a passion for classic cars, so the staff arranged for the local classic car club to visit the home with their cars. This was an event which everyone at the home and their relatives could also enjoy.

Home manager April King said: “You need a really strong team delivering exceptional care day in, day out to achieve outstanding. We’re immensely proud that everyone’s input has been recognised in this way. The rating is very much in line with the consistently positive feedback we receive from residents, their families and fellow health professionals.”

The success at Newstone House comes just weeks after the retention of an outstanding rating for Colten Care’s Kingfishers home in New Milton, Hampshire.

It means that a third of the provider’s homes, including two offering dementia care, now have the top CQC grade.

Congratulating all at Newstone House and their operations and support team, Mark Aitchison, Colten Care chief executive, said: “Only four per cent of care homes nationally are currently rated Outstanding, so to have a third of our homes rated Outstanding is an amazing achievement which we are extremely proud of.

“Such an independent vote of confidence is especially pleasing because it comes as we continue to invest in nursing at a time when other providers are turning away from it due to recruitment and cost issues. With all 20 of our inspected homes rated Outstanding or Good, we can justifiably lay claim to being in a class apart.”

In another third-party endorsement, Colten Care recently became the UK’s highest rated ‘Large Care Home Group’ on Carehome.co.uk. This rating, awarded in March 2020, followed two successive years of being a ‘Top 20 Care Home Group’ on the national public review site.

To read the CQC’s full inspection report on Newstone House, visit https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/ 1-619138594. For more information on the home, visit https://www.coltencare.co.uk/newstone-house.