Following the latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection at 8 Acres in Norfolk during July, the residential service has been rated Good in four areas, with a rating of Outstanding for caring.
The 8 Acres team, in collaboration with National Care Group support functions, the people supported and their relatives, worked tirelessly to deliver a comprehensive action plan following a rating of ‘Inadequate’ in the previous report issued four months earlier. The plan was shared with the CQC, which re-inspected in July to review the feedback and improvements.
A new registered manager was appointed in March 2025, who quickly established themselves and began implementing the action plan. The new report acknowledged the manager and noted comments from relatives, including, “We can talk to them about any issue, and they will act on it, so we feel at ease”. Another said, “They are approachable, and we can talk anytime. I am involved in everything about my relative.”
“This report showcases the quality of support and commitment that our team provides every day. Having our exceptional service re-inspected with our support acknowledged and recognised by the CQC is reassuring for the people who live here, their relatives, and our fantastic team.”
“The team and everyone at National Care Group are committed to delivering the highest standards of support. With input from across the organisation, they have gone above and beyond since the last inspection to uphold our high standards, and I am pleased to see them recognised with the new Outstanding rating for Caring.”
The report noted a trip that had recently been organised for a person to visit London. A relative said, “Two staff drove to the South Bank. They curated the whole day around things my relative likes and managed it all. They know our relative’s needs to plan and to have things to look forward to”.
An established Family Forum meets regularly to discuss changes people would like to see in the service. The forum has been actively involved in refurbishment improvements, and some members regularly visit to contribute to the gardening at the service.
People told inspectors they received support from staff who were caring. Comments from people included, “I completely trust my staff. They help me and I can talk to them about anything”. One relative said, “Staff look out for my relative and it’s a lovely feeling knowing they are safe. They come home on a Saturday and always want to return to 8 Acres” and another said, “I am unable to go to care planning and medical meetings as I live so far away so staff keep in touch with me and email me the reports.”
“Our team at 8 Acres works extremely hard to get everything right, and it’s wonderful to see them get the recognition they deserve for the exceptional quality of service they are providing."
National Care Group colleagues constantly strive to provide the highest standard of support possible, with quality at the heart of everything they do.
Read more about the commitment to creating a culture that supports this on the website linked here.
National Care Group is one of the UK’s leading adult social care providers. We support adults with learning disabilities, mental health diagnoses, acquired brain injuries, and autistic people, with services across England and Wales.
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