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Two BCOP nursing homes have gained the prestigious Gold Standards Framework Quality Hallmark Award in recognition of the excellent care they provide for residents approaching the end of life.
Anita Stone Court in Moseley and Neville Williams House in Selly Oak achieved accreditation after completing an intensive 18-month program of training, improvement and assessment.
The Gold Standards Framework (GSF) helps care teams provide proactive, personalised and well-coordinated support so that people can live well before they die and receive compassionate care in the place and manner of their choosing.
Both homes passed their final assessments with flying colours. Neville Williams House achieved a perfect score of 77, while Anita Stone Court achieved an excellent 70 out of 77—nine points above the pass mark of 61—and met every mandatory standard.
The independent assessors found that the framework had become firmly embedded within everyday practice at both homes, reflecting the dedication of staff from across their nursing, care, activities, catering, housekeeping, maintenance and administrative teams.
The program has strengthened how staff identify residents whose health may be changing and begin sensitive conversations about their future care.
Residents are supported, wherever possible, to express what matters to them and make informed choices about their care, treatment and preferred place of death. Their wishes are recorded in personalised advance care plans, reviewed as circumstances change and shared appropriately with the healthcare professionals involved in their care.
Families and those closest to residents are included in these conversations and supported before, during and after a person’s final days.
This proactive approach helps residents remain in familiar surroundings with staff who know them well. It also enables BCOP teams to anticipate changing needs, manage symptoms promptly and reduce avoidable hospital admissions wherever possible.
At Neville Williams House, 96% of residents included in the assessment achieved their preferred place of death and every resident had an advance care plan in place. The assessor described the visit as “exceptional” and found that GSF was “truly embedded within the home”.
The assessment highlighted exceptional teamwork, proactive planning and strong relationships with GPs, hospices and other healthcare professionals. It also recognised the home’s use of Namaste Care, mindfulness and reminiscence to support residents, including people living with advanced dementia.
At Anita Stone Court, 94% of residents included in the assessment achieved their preferred place of death, while anticipatory medication was in place for every resident assessed. All families were offered bereavement support and an opportunity to give feedback.
The assessor praised the team’s compassionate culture, dedication and passion, alongside its thoughtful sensory provision, strong staff retention and commitment to learning from residents’ and families’ experiences.
End of life care at BCOP is about much more than meeting someone’s clinical needs. Staff take time to understand each resident’s life story, relationships, routines, culture, faith, identity, communication needs and preferred sources of comfort.
Care may include familiar music, reminiscence, sensory experiences, spiritual support or simply the reassuring presence of someone the resident knows and trusts. These individual details can be particularly important for people living with advanced dementia or communication difficulties.
The approach reflects BCOP’s commitment to providing a genuine home for life, where residents can continue to receive personalised care as their needs change.
Helen Gore, Chief Executive of BCOP, said:
“Achieving the Gold Standards Framework Quality Hallmark Award is a tremendous accomplishment and reflects the compassion, professionalism and commitment of our teams at Anita Stone Court and Neville Williams House.
“The assessment results are important, but what matters most is the difference this work makes to residents and their families. By planning ahead, listening carefully and working closely with healthcare partners, we can help more people remain in familiar surroundings and receive care that respects their individual wishes.
“End of life care is a responsibility shared by the whole home, and I am enormously proud of every colleague who contributed to these achievements.”
BCOP is committed to sustaining and developing the improvements made during the programme. Staff will continue to review care, monitor residents’ and families’ experiences and use feedback, outcome data and reflective learning to improve their practice.
Each accredited home will follow a three-year improvement plan to ensure that proactive planning, compassionate support and coordinated care remain part of everyday life.
The team at BCOP’s third nursing home, Robert Harvey House, is approximately halfway through its own Gold Standards Framework programme. The home was also recently named Palliative Residential Care Provider of the Year 2026 at the national Palliative Care Awards.
Together, these achievements demonstrate BCOP’s organisation-wide commitment to helping older people live well throughout every stage of later life and to providing dignified, compassionate and personalised support at the end of life.
Read more about our end of life care here