Extra Care housing scheme rated ‘Good’ providing safe and compassionate care

Falcon and Griffin Extra Care scheme has been rated ‘Good’ and found by government inspectors to be safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

The Extra Care Scheme was visited by inspectors from the Care Quality Commission during August and early September. It was the first extra care scheme to be inspected in the borough under the new framework by the CQC.

Staff and management work tirelessly to provide compassionate care, so that tenants feel safe, respected, and well cared for.

They are described as kind, compassionate, and responsive, with care centred on the needs of each person.

Social events and communal activities support emotional well-being.

Extra Care supports people over 55, who have care and support needs, with their independence in specially designed housing.

The scheme consists of 69 properties, all benefiting from a warden call system that provides help and support 24/7 in the event of an emergency.

Support includes helping tenants with their medicines, meal preparation, personal care tasks and tenancy support.

The inspectors spoke with tenants and their relatives, managers and staff during their inspection about several areas.

The inspectors found that people feel safe and well cared for; there is effective safeguarding and risk management; it has a well-maintained environment which was recently upgraded and emergency protocols and fire safety plans in place.

Staff are described as kind, respectful, and compassionate providing care that is personalised and maintains their dignity. People feel listened to and involved in decisions.

Care is tailored to individual needs and preferences because it is planned with them, and they respond to changes in people’s needs. As well as care in the housing scheme, tenants were able to choose any external care needs and those who wanted to took part in activities with local groups.

People feel confident raising concerns and giving feedback, and staff understand individual needs and deliver evidence-based care. Health and social care professionals work strongly together, and the scheme is well-led.

The inspectors found some areas for improvement such as some care records needed more detail and some errors with medicines management. A couple of residents said some staff were late and did not always stay the allotted time.

Inspectors noted that a move to an electronic system is taking place to tackle the issue with documents and that recruitment for further staff is about to begin.

Residents said staff supported them in a way they wanted and needed, such as personal care, meal preparation, or management of medication. Staff were described as respectful, caring and compassionate, and that “nothing was too much trouble”.

Two family members said: “I would recommend the carers there” and “Staff go out of their way.”

Councillor Tamoor Tariq, cabinet member for health adult care, welcomed the report and the recognition of the scheme as Good.

He said: “Our extra care schemes are there to support people who may find they need that little extra support as they got older.

“They want to maintain their independence but just need that reassurance that there is someone there to support them if they need it

“The much sought after ‘Good’ rating from the CQC sets the standard for all our services and highlights what we all know. Tenants feel truly safe and valued, knowing their wellbeing is a priority every day. Staff are praised for their warmth and compassion, going above and beyond to respond with care and respect.

“Extra Care encourages independent living through a combination of specially designed housing developed with 24-hour care and support. This gives them peace of mind that help is on hand for emergencies at any time and provides a more flexible service for their needs. It can offer over 55s with care and support needs as an alternative to moving into a residential care home.

“We are already working on the areas that require improvement around medication and looking at a new electronic medication system.

“A big thank you and well done to the staff and management within the service working to provide such high standards and achieving this level of service.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 11 November 2025.

Picture: Officially Good – Cllr Tamoor Tariq with staff at Falcon and Griffin extra care scheme.