A Weymouth care home is celebrating after achieving a top accrediation as well as winning a national competition.

Danmor Lodge care home in Alexandra Road has received the national Gold Standard Framework Quality Hallmark Award - the highest accreditation for delivering outstanding ‘end of life’ care during the pandemic.

The care home has also been recognised as The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Care Setting of the Year 2022 by the National Activity Providers Association (NAPA).

Regarding the accreditation, only 75 care homes, hospitals, hospices and private practitioners from around the country achieved this.

Achieving this feat is no easy task as Sharon Reed, manager of Danmor Lodge, explained.

She said: “Lots of hospices, care homes and things do give up because it is quite a long process, but we pride ourselves on being a centre of excellence particularly for residents coming to the end of their life.”

Danmor Lodge had to comply to 24 standards such as caring for patients, making sure every death is as the resident requests and ensuring families of patients are supported through the process and after their relative passes.

The accreditation allows care homes and hospitals to work under the same framework.

Danmor Lodge has achieved the highest standard since 2016.

Sharon Reed said: “We are thrilled to achieve our reaccreditation. This shows our continued endeavours to provide our residents with the very best end of life care.”

She added: “It gives us a better working relationship with our GP services, paramedics and hospitals.”

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 care homes entered the Jubilee competition nationwide, but it was Danmor Lodge that came out on top.

Sharon Reed said: “I am so thrilled that our home has won the Jubilee competition. We were astonished when we received the news and so humbled that we were chosen to be the recipients of the £1,000 prize.

“This is such an incredible amount of money that will make such a difference to our residents.”

With the £1,000, Danmor Lodge bought a big interactive table that residents can play games on.

NAPA highlighted the special attention Danmor Lodge gave staff, residents, families, the community and volunteers.

A NAPA spokesperson said: “We are sure that the sense of togetherness and the magical moments that everyone worked so hard to achieve will be remembered and discussed for years to come.”