RDB Star Rating

General information

The RDB Star Rating scheme was developed in 1997, as an assessment tool for the Social Care Sector, to identify & promote quality providers. This was at a time when the care sector was facing a similar crisis as it is now, inadequate funding, poor occupancy, low morale and a lack of confidence by the public.

The RDB system is designed as a dynamic and responsive measurement tool for care homes providing residential care, nursing care, mental health care and people with learning difficulties. The assessment is both comprehensive and reliable and is absolutely focused on the needs of the resident.

The RDB model evaluates homes against more than 200 care standards, collecting 10 to 16 pieces of evidence for each standard. These care standards are drawn from best practice research across the care sector and are tempered by what is realistic and achievable, thus reflecting what good care providers do naturally.

RDB Care Quality Assessors (CQAs) are selected for their perceptual communication and analytical skills and their ability to work in collaboration with others in a non-judgmental way. Their role is one of data collection, not evaluation. This ensures that both the assessment and the evaluating of a care home’s practices, remain distinct and objective.