Suffolk County Council inspectors rated all four of Stow Healthcare’s Suffolk homes as ‘excellent’, a success the local care provider proudly celebrated.
Suffolk County Council has joined many other local authorities in adopting a new inspection framework that complements that undertaken by the Care Quality Commission, and assesses care providers in a number of areas such as safe staffing, quality of care and cleanliness of the environment.
Stow Healthcare’s homes in Brandon (Brandon Park), Long Melford (Melford Court) and Bury St Edmunds (Stowlangtoft Hall and Manson House) have now all achieved the top rating of ‘Excellent’ in the course of the last year.
Stow Healthcare CEO Kay Cox said of the news: “To see all our Suffolk homes recognised by the local authority as being ‘excellent’ is wonderful. These homes are truly special, and we delighted in welcoming our colleagues from Suffolk County Council to spend time in each one and experience the outstanding care delivered every day. We couldn’t be happier for our teams and our residents to have this well deserved result.”
In Suffolk, these inspections are a new addition alongside those by the Care Quality Commission, though counties like Norfolk County Council have been using them for some time. They provide good opportunities for those working in, living in, or visiting a care service to share their views, in addition to do a review of records and observations of care. Brandon Park (April 2025) and Manson House (May 2025) were most recently inspected.
The report highlighted several areas of excellence, including Stow Healthcare’s strong focus on staff training. Inspectors highlighted staff’s professional development, further qualifications, and attending conferences and workshops. Stow’s dedication to continuous improvement and the delivery of safe, effective, person-centred care was evident.
Kay Cox added, ‘These outcomes are great preparation for us as we look forward to welcoming CQC Inspectors. They give current and future residents confidence in the great quality care they can expect in each Stow Healthcare setting.’
