An independent regulator has rated a Sidmouth care home ‘outstanding’ after an unannounced inspection - taking it into the top one per cent nationwide.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) gave the 29-bed Rose Lawn facility top marks for its leadership and responsiveness and ranked its safety, effectiveness and how caring staff are as ‘good’.

Debbie Ivanova, the regulator’s deputy chief inspector for adult social care in the south, congratulated staff and said they should extremely proud of the work they do. She added: “Keychange Charity Rose Lawn Care Home provided exceptional care in an innovative environment, which enabled people to maintain their independence and continue to live an enjoyable life.

“We were delighted to see how well the service supported people’s interests and encouraged people to gain new experiences in an engaging way.

“It was encouraging to see that management looked for proactive ways to improve the service by involving people using the service and their relatives to provide suggestions for improvements, that were then acted upon.

“I congratulate the staff at Keychange Charity Rose Lawn Care Home for achieving our highest rating.”

Manager Kerrie Howard said: “I am so immensely proud of the team at Rose Lawn who have helped achieve our outstanding rating from CQC.

“This rating is so difficult to achieve and everyone has worked together to make Rose Lawn into a home where people like to live, visit and work.

“The reputation of the home speaks volumes within the community and that is down to the dedication of the staff.

“I feel that I have one of the best teams going and a home where our residents can be looked after in a safe, happy environment as part of a family.”

One of the innovations the CQC highlighted was bringing external experiences into the home – from a safari or riding a rollercoaster to swimming in the ocean – through the use of a virtual reality headset.

Kerrie added: “The residents love it! The reaction and laughter from them is incredible.”