Abstract Background Various societal developments are currently challenging the ability of European nursing home organizations to meet quality standards. To support nursing home organizations throughout the Netherlands in quality improvement (QI), the Dutch government launched a nationwide programme in 2016 entitled ‘Dignity and pride’ (D&p). As part of this programme, participating nursing home organizations followed a tailored trajectory centred around intensive, on-site support from external expert coaches. For this study, we evaluated to what extent quality improvements were realized in the programme, paying particular attention to the role of the expert coaches. Methods Thirty-six nursing home organizations were included. At the start of D&p, the majority of these organizations (78%) had major quality issues as determined by the Health Care Inspectorate. Information on quality of care at the start versus end of the programme was obtained from improvement plans and final evaluation reports. Quality of person-centred care (PCC) and resident safety were quantified using a standardized assessment tool based on national guidelines, with improvements analysed using two-sided paired-sample T-tests. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 coaches and 29 healthcare professionals, focusing on the greatest benefits of programme participation and on the added value of the expert coaches. Results After completion of the programme, 60% of the organizations scored a 4 (= good) on PCC and resident safety, and none scored a 2 or less (average improvement on a 5-point scale for both themes: 1.9 points, p < 0.001). Interviewees confirmed that the quality of care had both improved and become more person-centred. The expert coaches were credited with substantially contributing to the QI process by offering an outsider’s perspective, bringing in experience and expertise, and helping the organization stay committed and focused. Conclusions Our study results suggest that the D&p programme was ...