Published: 24 July 2026
A Surrey County Council reablement team has been rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission for its ‘exceptional’ work supporting residents to get back on their feet after a hospital stay or illness.
The West 1 Reablement Service – covering Guildford, Waverley and Surrey Heath – is one of four teams across Surrey providing up to six weeks of free, personalised care and support to help people regain their independence and daily living skills after a period of ill-health or injury. Through occupational therapy and practical support, the team helps people rebuild skills such as washing, dressing, preparing meals and moving safely around the home, enabling them to get back to doing what matters to them.
The West 1 team supports around 1,000 people every year, working seven days a week in all weather conditions, including through heatwaves and snow. It has around 70 staff including reablement practitioners, occupational therapists and out of hours coordinators.
Now, following an inspection in April and May, the West 1 Reablement Service has been upgraded from a ‘good’ rating to an ‘outstanding’ rating by CQC, the national care regulator. Only a small proportion of adult social care provision nationally achieves an outstanding rating, the highest of four possible gradings from the CQC.
Inspectors found that staff were committed to providing an ‘exceptionally high-quality service’ following the assessment which drew on feedback from people using the service, their relatives, staff, managers and professionals who work alongside the team.
“Staff treated people with exceptional kindness, empathy and compassion and always respected their privacy and dignity,” the report said. As one resident put it, “they are all wonderful and I feel extremely fortunate to have them visit.”
Key findings include:
- West 1 tailored people’s care to their individual needs, strengths, preferences, and aspirations. People were valued as individuals and their decisions about their care respected.
- Managers and staff worked exceptionally well with colleagues and external partners, which ensured care was well planned, regularly reviewed and responsive to people’s changing needs.
- The service made excellent use of technology to enable people to live safely and independently in their own homes. The service had also used innovative technology to improve the timeliness and quality of people’s reablement journeys, enabling faster progression from referral to support beginning.
- Leaders recognised the value of developing its workforce and staff were encouraged to continuously develop their skills and knowledge. Leaders fostered a supportive culture in which staff felt listened to and valued.
- The service was committed to learning and continuous improvement. All aspects of the service were regularly reviewed to identify opportunities to enhance the quality of the care people received.
The key role of occupational therapists within the team was also recognised, from developing tailored exercise programmes and sourcing specialist equipment to setting clear, practical goals to help people regain their independence.
Amy Jupp, CQC’s deputy director for adult social care Surrey, said: “At our inspection, we found a service that consistently delivers on its core purpose, helping people regain their independence after illness or a hospital stay. Strong leadership and a well-trained workforce underpinned the high-quality care people received.
“One relative told us that having so many skilled staff delivering the right care doesn’t happen by accident, it takes good leadership and direction. We also found the service had expanded its referral criteria in recent years, enabling more people, including those with more complex needs, to benefit from reablement support.
“Staff focused on what people could do rather than what they couldn’t, empowering them to set their own goals and take an active role in reviewing their progress. We saw how this person-centred approach helped people build confidence and achieve meaningful outcomes.
“People told us the support they received exceeded their expectations, while relatives described the real progress their family members had made towards living more independently with the service’s support.
“Everyone at West 1 Reablement Service should be proud of the positive impact they have on people’s lives. Other services can look to this report as an example of what high-quality, person-centred reablement looks like in practice.”
Sinead Mooney, Surrey County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “This is wonderful recognition for a team which goes above and beyond every day to help people regain their confidence, independence and quality of life after illness or a stay in hospital. To receive an outstanding rating from the CQC is a remarkable achievement and a reflection of the expertise and compassion shown by the team every day.
“Alongside the ‘good’ rating awarded to Surrey’s wider adult social care service in 2024, and most recently our prison-based social care work, this latest result shows our continued commitment to delivering high-quality support for the residents who rely on us.
“As local government in Surrey prepares to start a new chapter, we're proud to be leaving a strong legacy in adult social care. Thanks to the dedication, compassion and expertise of our staff, we’ll be leaving the new councils with firm foundations to build on.”
The full CQC report can be found on its website: West 1 Reablement Service - Care Quality Commission
The other reablement services across Surrey are currently rated ‘good’ by the CQC.
To find out more about adult social care roles with Surrey County Council, please visit our jobs page.