End-of-life care is one of the hardest areas for any care home to get consistently right. It calls for staff to recognise, often with little warning, when a resident’s needs are changing, and to coordinate everything from pain management to family conversations at a time when there is little room for error. The Gold Standards Framework (GSF) brings structure to that process, and its 2026 accreditation results show how many providers are now building it into everyday practice.
More than 100 care homes across the UK have been recognised this year, with 102 achieving GSF accreditation or reaccreditation. Of these, 49 have reached Platinum status, awarded to homes that have sustained the GSF approach through successful reaccreditation every three years. Nine homes have been shortlisted for the GSF Care Home of the Year award, with the winner announced at the GSF Awards Ceremony in Birmingham on 22 September.
What is the Gold Standards Framework?
What is the Gold Standards Framework?GSF is an evidence-based approach that helps frontline teams identify residents who may be approaching the end of life, understand their needs and wishes, plan care proactively and coordinate support across the wider care team. For care homes, that structure is designed to help ensure residents receive personalised care in their final stage of life, while giving families confidence and staff the skills to manage difficult situations well.
This year’s accreditation programme extends well beyond care homes. Fourteen hospital wards reached Platinum status, alongside five newly accredited hospital teams. Eight domiciliary care organisations achieved Platinum, with four more newly accredited. All seven of The ExtraCare Charitable Trust’s retirement villages were reaccredited, six of them at Platinum level, and five GP practices were recognised, three at Platinum. Two hospices were accredited, including St Davids Hospice (Hafan Dewi Sant) in Llandudno, GSF’s first accredited Welsh hospice.
Julie Armstrong-Wilson, COO at Gold Standards Framework, said the results reflect growing confidence across the sector: “These achievements show the difference that can be made when end of life care becomes part of everyday practice. Across care homes and other health and care settings, teams are becoming more confident identifying people earlier, understanding what matters to them and planning care around their wishes.”
How are care homes putting GSF into practice?
Behind the national figures are individual homes and groups that have spent years embedding the framework into daily routines.
Kingsley Healthcare Group had five homes recognised this year. Eversley Lodge achieved a Platinum Award and has also been shortlisted for Care Home of the Year, while Branksome Heights, Highcliffe Nursing Home, Queen Charlotte Nursing Home and Thorp House all achieved accreditation. Shane Collier, Regional Operations Director for East of England at Kingsley Healthcare Group, said the results reflect sustained investment in training: “Achieving Gold Standards Framework accreditation is never the result of one good day, it’s built on years of training, reflection and genuine compassion. To see five of our homes recognised in this way, and Eversley Lodge reach the very top with a Platinum Award, says everything about the calibre of care our teams deliver every day for residents and the families who trust us with them.” Eversley Lodge manager Danielle Bullent added: “End of life care is one of the most important things we do, and it’s a real privilege to walk alongside our residents and their families during that time. We treat every resident like our own family, right to the very end.”
Nellsar had five care homes recognised, including Abbotsleigh Care Home, which achieved Platinum status, while Lukestone Care Home and St Winifreds Care Home both achieved the maximum assessment score. Beth Fernandez, Quality and Compliance Manager at Nellsar, said the process encourages continual reflection: “These results are an incredible reflection of the commitment our teams have shown throughout their GSF journeys. The programme encourages us to continually reflect on how we can make end of life care more personalised, coordinated and compassionate for every resident.” GSF is currently embedded across 70% of Nellsar’s 13 care homes, with plans to extend it group-wide.
Camelot Care Group saw Chestnut Lodge achieve accreditation this year, following Camelot House and Lodge’s fifth successive accreditation. Director Paul Teasdale said the award gives families reassurance: “The award provides valuable reassurance for those families who entrust the team at Chestnut Lodge with the care of their loved ones, that consistently excellent care will be provided right up to end of life.”
At Hunters Lodge Care Home, part of English Oak Care Homes, the team achieved GSF accreditation this year. CEO Liam Geach said the recognition reflects the priority placed on end of life care: “Achieving GSF accreditation is a fantastic recognition of the dedication and compassion of our team at Hunters Lodge. Providing exceptional end of life care is at the heart of what we do, and this accreditation gives us great pride that we are delivering the highest possible standard of care to our residents and their families.”
At Potters Grange, part of family-run Ardale Care Homes, manager Evan Arceo highlighted the work behind the achievement: “Behind this accreditation are countless hours of hard work, determination, problem-solving, learning, planning and teamwork. This achievement represents the sweat and tears that have gone into ensuring our residents receive the very best care possible.” Robert Myers, Head of Care Pathways at Ardale, praised the team’s clinical and emotional skill: “Being entrusted by a family to support their loved one’s end of life care is one of the greatest privileges a care home can be given. To enable this process to mirror the person’s wishes, and to ensure it is as pain-free and natural as possible, requires a care team with deep clinical expertise and emotional intelligence. These are rare skills, yet the Potters Grange team, under Evan’s leadership, possess them in abundance.” Half of Ardale’s homes now hold GSF accreditation, with two more due to complete training within the next two years; The Marbrook Centre and Oakham Grange have also been trained and accredited.
At Cliveden Manor, part of Avery Healthcare, manager Karen Holmes said accreditation reflects the team’s approach to person-centred care: “Achieving GSF accreditation at Cliveden Manor is a wonderful recognition of the team’s commitment to providing compassionate, personalised end of life care. It reflects the importance we place on understanding what matters to each resident and supporting them and their families with dignity, choice and kindness.” Avery Healthcare said the accreditation also reinforces its commitment to sharing learning across its homes and ensuring residents receive consistent support at every stage of their journey.
At Bupa Aylesham Court, part of Bupa Care Homes, manager Lucie Mann said the accreditation process strengthened the team’s approach to advance care planning: “As part of the accreditation process, we took time to reflect on how we can continue to improve and build on the care and support we provide. The framework strengthened our approach to advance care planning and encouraged open, honest conversations with residents and their loved ones about what matters most to them. For us, this achievement is about much more than receiving an award. It is about making sure every resident is treated with dignity, respect and compassion, that their voices are heard, and that their wishes and choices remain at the very centre of their care.”
What impact is accreditation having on care quality?
What impact is accreditation having on care quality?For many providers, accreditation is not a one-off award but part of a longer process of embedding good end of life care into daily practice. GSF’s own Impact Survey found that 97% of accredited organisations reported improved experiences of care, and 95% said the framework had improved staff morale and teamwork, evidence that a structured approach to end of life care benefits residents, families and staff alike.
As Armstrong-Wilson put it: “Enabling a good death gives a sense of pride to the teams delivering comfort care, with compassion, to ensure the experience is the best it can be.”
What happens next?
The GSF Quality Hallmark Awards will bring together representatives from this year’s accredited and reaccredited organisations at the GSF Awards Ceremony in Birmingham on 22 September, where the winner of the Care Home of the Year award will be announced from among the nine shortlisted homes.
