Acorn Court praised for encouraging independence in ‘Good’ CQC rating

Our home in Redhill, was rated ‘Good’ for being Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led following an assessment carried out between 30 June and 3 July 2026. Inspectors found residents were encouraged to live with as much independence as possible.

“They let me do as much as I can for myself,” one resident said, “and they help me with the things I can’t manage.”

The report highlighted how the team took time to understand each person’s needs, interests and individual preferences, whether that was helping a resident to spend time in a particular area of the garden they enjoyed, or supporting another who wanted to have the occasional ‘duvet day’.

The dedicated team pride themselves on going above and beyond for their residents supporting them to maintain their quality of life and to live with meaning and purpose. Inspectors found this approach was reflected in their report.

Of the care her loved one receives, one relative said: “They definitely know her well. She always chooses her day. It’s up to her what she does.”

During the assessment, inspectors spoke with residents, relatives, team members and healthcare professionals to gain an insight into life at the home.

Relatives shared with inspectors how they felt the team supported them as well as their loved ones, taking the time to discuss the family’s situation as a whole before moving in. The report highlighted comments from relatives who said: “Nothing was too much trouble” for the team, while another said:

“The staff are lovely. They also look after me too, when I visit,” another relative commented to the inspector.

Inspectors found that residents and relatives felt involved in decisions, from shaping personalised care plans to choosing the home’s varied programme of daily activities, which include regular outings, entertainers and quizzes.

The report also praised the home’s caring culture, with residents describing the team as kind and compassionate.

“I couldn’t fault anyone here, they are all lovely,” one resident said.

Another relative praised the team spirit, commenting: “They work well as a team. Always someone around and they rotate the team. All the carers know each other. All in it together.”

The report stated, ‘People and their relatives told us care was coordinated and staff worked well with colleagues and external partners, including healthcare professionals and within the local community.’

Healthcare professionals echoed the positive feedback, praising the team’s communication, knowledge and willingness to work collaboratively to achieve the best outcomes for residents.

One healthcare professional described Acorn Court as providing “responsive, compassionate and effective care”, while another said the team demonstrated “good multidisciplinary working, strong communication and a proactive approach to meeting residents’ needs.”

About the report home manager Paula Deadman said: “We’re delighted to have maintained our ‘Good’ rating across all five areas.

“Reading the feedback from our residents and families is particularly special because it reflects exactly what we’re trying to achieve every day. We want people to feel at home, to continue making their own choices and to know they are cared for as individuals.

“I’m incredibly proud of our team. They build genuine relationships with residents and their families, show kindness in everything they do and never stop looking at ways we can improve the care and support we provide.”

Our specialist dementia and palliative care home has 86 en-suite bedrooms and offers residential, nursing, dementia, acquired brain injury (ABI) and compassionate end-of-life care. Acorn Court also holds Platinum Status with the Gold Standards Framework for end-of-life care and last year they received Highly Commended in the Dignity in Care category at the South East regional finals of the Great British Care Awards.