A county council run care service has been described as ‘exceptional’ following their Outstanding care quality rating.

Ipswich Star: Beccy Hopfensperger heaped praise on the council service following the report Picture: CHRIS SHIMWELLBeccy Hopfensperger heaped praise on the council service following the report Picture: CHRIS SHIMWELL (Image: Archant)

The Mid Suffolk Home First care service previously received a Good rating in 2015 but have pushed on to receive the highest accolade from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in October.

Home First were supporting 67 Suffolk residents at the time of the report, providing both long and short term, in-house, care programmes.

Beccy Hopfensperger, cabinet member for adult care at Suffolk County Council, said: “This is an absolutely brilliant achievement for Mid Suffolk Home First.

“At a time when carers often feel they are overlooked, it is very worthy recognition of the outstanding care and compassion these carers bring to their job, day in and day out.

“I would personally like to thank them all for the dedication, enthusiasm and commitment they bring. They are a credit to the council.”

Under CQC’s programme of inspections, the service was rated according to whether it was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

At their last CQC report in 2015, the service was given a Good rating across all these areas.

In the latest report Home First received Outstanding ratings for being responsive and well-led, giving them the overall top rating.

Jo Huckle, team manager at Mid Suffolk Home First, said: “This rating is a wonderful achievement for the team.

“I am very proud of them and all they have achieved. They work very hard to provide the very highest standard of care and it’s lovely that someone else has recognised that.”

Jemima Burnage, CQC’s Head of Inspection for Adult Social Care in the central region said: “Our inspection team was really impressed by the level of care and support offered to people who use this service.

“The service aim was clear, to support people out of hospital as soon as possible but only when it was safe to do so.

She continued: “People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

“All of this meant people received a high standard of care, which is why it has been rated Outstanding.”