A DORCHESTER care home has been hailed as a ‘fantastic place for elderly people to live’ after impressing inspectors.

Grassington House received glowing feedback in its latest inspection report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and those running the facility say it is the latest step in a decade of good progress.

Jenny Franklin and her sister Sally Drake, who both have over 30 years of experience in the care environment, purchased Grassington House in Prince of Wales Road ten years ago in April 2004.

Megan Read, who was appointed as manager of the home last year, said that the sisters deserve recognition for their work over the last decade.

She said: “I feel that the owners should have some recognition for all the hard work they have done over the last ten years in making Grassington House a fantastic place for elderly people to live fulfilling lives.”

Mrs Read added that the recent successful CQC report was the latest in a line of impressive endorsements from a range of regulatory bodies. She said: “During their ten years of ownership, the home has been extensively updated and improved and every inspection made by the various regulatory bodies during this period have been consistently been positive and this success continues with our most recent CQC inspection.”

Mrs Read said that the owners, residents and staff at Grassington House had also done their bit for the wider community over the years.

Charities the home has supported include the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Diabetes UK, the Brain Tumour Charity, Help for Heroes, Meningitis UK, the British Heart Foundation and CLIC Sargent.

Mrs Read said: “We always ensure that all of the monies raised have gone to our nominated charities.”

  • THE CQC report found that Grassington House, which provides personal care and accommodation for up to 11 people, was meeting standards in all areas.

One of the areas the inspection looked at was respecting and involving people who used the service.

The inspection report stated: “People's views and experiences were taken into account in the way the service was provided and delivered in relation to their care.”

When looking at the care and welfare for people who use the service, the report stated: “Overall, we found that the people who use this service were involved in their assessment and care planning, and were treated with dignity and respect.”