Royal Star & Garter in High Wycombe has been rated Outstanding in its first CQC inspection.

The care home for military veterans, which opened in 2019, was judged to be Outstanding in four of the five areas tested by the healthcare watchdog.

Two of the charity’s three homes are now rated Outstanding after the Solihull Home was placed among the best in the country after being awarded Outstanding in all five tested in 2020. The Surbiton Home was judged to be delivering Outstanding care in its last published CQC inspection.

Hazel Roberts, CQC head of inspection for adult social care, said: “The care provided to people by Royal Star & Garter in High Wycombe was outstanding… We found this to be a well-run and supportive service that focused on people’s needs. Other services can look to it as an example of the high standards of care people should expect.”

Among the findings listed following the two-day inspection at the end of 2022 were:

• People received excellent care from consistent, knowledgeable staff that exceeded their expectations
• Staff created a nurturing environment where people’s feelings mattered most
• Staff excelled in caring for people living with dementia
• There was a strong commitment to providing personalised care that appreciated people for who they were and recognised the value of their life experiences
• People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and staff supported them in their best interests.
• Home manager, Reggie Ballos provided exceptional leadership and developed a dedicated staff team who were committed to the vision and values of the service.

Ballos said: “I am so proud and happy that CQC inspectors were able to recognise and see what I see every day – that is a team of talented and dedicated staff, working as a family to provide outstanding person-centred care with kindness and compassion. It’s taken us a lot of hard work to get to this level, but we won’t be resting on our laurels. We will always be looking to improve on the already excellent care that we provide to the veterans.”

Royal Star & Garter director of care, Pauline Shaw OBE, said: “This is a wonderful outcome and is well-deserved recognition for Reggie and her team. I am delighted for them all.”