A Norfolk domiciliary care agency has been rated as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Aylsham Homecare supports people with dementia and disabilities, as well as older people needing support, in their own homes.

The agency in Morton Road was rated as good at its previous inspection in September 2016.

Laura Grand, owner and director, said: "We have been in business six years and all that time my staff have gone above and beyond, to make sure all our clients' needs are met in every way. We are very much person-centred and treat people as individuals. We are very delighted that we have been rated as outstanding."

Under CQC's programme of inspections, all adult social care services are rated according to whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

Aylsham Homecare was given an overall rating of outstanding, and was rated good for being safe and effective, and outstanding for being caring, responsive and well-led. At the time of the inspection in March, it was supporting 17 people.

Jemima Burnage, CQC head of inspection for adult social care in the central region, said: "Our inspection team was very impressed by the level of care and support offered by Aylsham Homecare.

"People and their relatives gave us exceptional reports of the care staff provided, and our inspectors saw that the service went the extra mile for people.

"This included thoroughly assessing people when they signed up to the service, helping staff understand people's medical and care needs as well as their personal preferences and social interests. The service's effective use of this information boosted people's quality of life and led to health outcomes that were better than expected.

"Staff supported people to be independent and to continue doing the things which were important to them.

"Underpinning the excellent care that the service offered was the management's commitment to staff training. Management also fostered a positive working environment and inspectors saw that the service had a strong commitment to inclusion. Staff felt valued in their roles.

"All of this meant people received a high standard of care, which is why it has been rated outstanding."