Belong Chester has been awarded a 'Good' rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), following its latest inspection.

The report commended the provider for its "focus on supporting people to enjoy life", citing the use of its on-site bistro, salon and gym - alongside its vibrant activities programme.  

Support for customers to live healthy lives was singled out - with the gym, in-house exercise and rehabilitation department assisting in maximising independence, choice and control through personalised exercise programmes.  

Caroline Ray, general manager at Belong Chester, said: "We are for people, not profit.

"Our ethos is to promote quality of life for our customers by assisting them in any way we can to live as independently as possible.

"To know we are doing a sound job is testament to the hard work and compassion of our team here."  

Belong's dementia expertise and its admiral nurse service with charity, Dementia UK, was also recognised.

The latter provides vital assistance to families - such as advice on securing finance and arranging external health assessments, as well as emotional support.      

Inspectors also praised the overall care provision - including Belong's shared vision, strategy and culture, alongside its links and collaborations with partners in the wider community.  

Inspectors also drew attention to the children's nursery integrated with the village, operated by charity, Ready Generations.

Its 'innovative approach' to care was lauded, offering a wealth of opportunities for older people to enjoy the benefits of intergenerational relationships.

Relatives describing the ethos as 'amazing' and the interaction between old and young as 'a joy to behold'.  

Caroline continued: "This is our first inspection since we opened, and we are proud of the many positives that it highlights.

"It also gives us some advice on areas where we can improve to enhance our rating further in the future, and we have already made excellent progress on these aspects.

"We want to provide the very best service to those we care for and we are excited about continuing this journey in our wonderful village." 

The CQC regulates both the premises and the provision of care services and carries out its inspections through a number of observations, interviews with staff and residents, and reviews of records related to medicine administration, recruitment, quality and safety of the service.

You can find out more about Belong Chester here.