A care-giving company from Esher won the sector's highest accolade after being named 'outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Staff at Home Instead Senior Care Elmbridge and East Spelthorne received news of the award following a CQC inspection earlier this year.

Home Instead, owned by Damien Nolan (pictured), employs a team of 79 staff who provide care to 119 clients in the area.

With only three per cent of home care providers achieving an outstanding rating from CQC, the award placed Home Instead Elmbridge at the apex of care home companies operating in the UK.

Inspectors were told that Home Instead Elmbridge’s caregivers went "the extra mile" and the report quoted many examples.

In one instance, a caregiver saved a client’s life when they arrived at their home to find them choking on medicines. They commenced basic life support and called the emergency services, effectively saving the client's life with the emergency services.

Other examples included taking care of clients' pets and gardens during home visits.

One client, speaking of their caregiver said "She’s like a ray of sunshine coming in."

Commenting on the outstanding rating, Mr Nolan said the staff at Home Instead Elmbridge deserved this highest accolade.

Mr Nolan said: "I am privileged that we have had this recognition as it has reflected the great effort that our staff put in.

"The feedback in the report is heartening and it is great to see that we have a foundation and platform from which we can achieve even more in the coming years," he added.

Beyond the most essential elements of their care-giving work, the CQC report highlighted how staff arranged cinema trips, afternoon teas and took one client swimming at weekends.

Home Instead were also praised for volunteering to be the national lead for the NHS Frailty Fulcrum, a model of care which assesses frailty and ensures people are receiving the heath care they need.

The company was previously awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2016 for their innovative approach to care giving.

For more information go to www.homeinstead.co.uk/elmbridge-east-spelthorne