Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission
Following a rigorous inspection in November 2019, Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, who provide expert palliative and end of life care in West Berkshire including Reading, Wokingham and Newbury, has been rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission.
Compassion and kindness
The Care Quality Commission, the national independent regulator of health and social care services, awarded the rating following an in-depth inspection of the hospice's expert palliative care services in November 2019 – including its inpatient unit and palliative care community services which provides support for people in their own homes, day services and family support team.
Publishing the full report on their website this week, the CQC highlighted how staff treated patients and their families with compassion and kindness, respected their dignity and privacy and went above and beyond expectations to meet individual needs and wishes.
“Staff went above and beyond expectations to support their patients, were devoted to doing all they could to support the emotional needs of patients, families and carers to minimise their distress and helped patients live every day to the fullest.”
The CQC also noted how hospice staff “Went above and beyond expectations to support their patients. Staff were devoted to doing all they could to support the emotional needs of patients, families and carers to minimise their distress. Staff helped patients live every day to the fullest.”
Inspectors rated the hospice as 'Outstanding' when it came to being caring and well led and the hospice was rated as 'Good' for being safe, responsive and effective.
Flexibility, choice and continuity of care
Inspectors praised how, “Services were delivered in a way to ensure flexibility, choice and continuity of care” and “planned and provided care in a way that fully met the needs of local people and the communities serviced, working proactively with others to plan care and improve services.”
For their inspection, they spent two days at the hospice in Reading and one of the satellite services in Wokingham speaking with patients, families, volunteers and staff from right across the hospice to build a complete picture of the expert and compassionate palliative care services offered.
“This brilliant result is thanks to the commitment and hard work of our expert clinical teams and passionate hospice staff and volunteers, who do all they can to be there when it matters for local families.”
Maria Turnbull, Hospice Director at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice said, “This brilliant result is thanks to the commitment and hard work of our expert clinical teams and passionate hospice staff and volunteers, who do all they can to be there when it matters for local families.
“We want our 'Outstanding' rating to reassure people with a terminal illness that they will receive the highest quality expert and compassionate care provided by all of our services at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice.
"I would like to thank all of the staff and volunteers for their continued hard work."
You can view the full report on the CQC website.
Find out further information about Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice and the expert palliative and end of life care they provide for local families in the community.