Over 90% of hospices rated good or better in latest CQC ratings
By News England, , ,

Hospices in England are caring for and supporting people in a compassionate way at the end of their lives, according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Ahead of this year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day today, the regulator’s latest ratings data shows that over 90% (34 out of 37 hospices) inspected so far have been judged to be providing Outstanding or Good care.

These ratings also mark one year on since CQC introduced its more rigorous and expert-led approach that assesses hospices across England on whether they are safe, caring, effective, responsive to people’s needs and well-led. 

The new approach includes publishing reports that rate hospices, including when this support is provided in people’s homes, as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate to help members of the public make more informed choices about their care, shine a spotlight on the action being taken to drive up poor care, and to celebrate success.

CQC’s Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, Andrea Sutcliffe, said: “I know from what my inspectors are finding and from what my own friends and family have told me, hospices provide amazing care and support for people at the end of their lives. What better day to celebrate and mark this than World Hospice and Palliative Care Day.

“It is very encouraging that over 90% of hospices are proving to be Good or Outstanding so far. This is just what we should expect and what people certainly deserve at the end of their lives.

“Success starts with strong leaders who motivate, value and support skilled staff to go the extra mile in sensitively caring for every single person as an individual.

“I encourage people to take the time to read through our latest reports to see how great care can be done.”

Jonathan Ellis, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Hospice UK, said: “Hospices are special places carrying out vital work so we are extremely pleased to see that the vast majority of those inspected have been rated either outstanding or good. It’s a testament to the dedication and expertise of the staff and volunteers who provide hospice care across the country.

“Hospice UK worked closely with the CQC to make sure that hospice service inspections acknowledged their special role in the community and we are so proud to see this system reflect the great care that they make available to dying people and their loved ones.

“Our country’s hospice movement is one of the major reasons that the UK is ranked as the best in the world in meeting palliative care needs but we must not be complacent. Hospices have a great deal to offer, and are working increasingly closely with hospitals, care homes and other social care services to ensure people.” 

The hospice ratings breakdown is as follows:

As of Monday 5th October 2015 CQC has rated 37 hospice services. Of these:

  • Outstanding: 10 (27.0%)
  • Good: 24 (64.9%)
  • Requires Improvement: 2 (5.4%)
  • Inadequate: 1 (2.7%)

Outstanding 

  1. Pilgrim’s Hospice Ashford (run by Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent) in Kent.
  2. Claire House Children’s Hospice (run by Claire House) in Wirral, Merseyside.
  3. St Cuthbert’s Hospice (run by St Cuthbert’s Hospice Limited) in Durham.
  4. Julia’s House (run by Julia’s House Limited) in Dorset.
  5. Ashgate Hospice (rub by Ashgate hospice care Limited) in Derbyshire.
  6. Zoe’s Place Middlesbrough (run by Zoe’s Place Trust) in Cleveland.
  7. Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice (run by The Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice Limited) in West Yorkshire.
  8. Marie Curie Hospice West Midlands (run by Marie Curie) in Solihull.
  9. Shooting Star House (run by Shooting Star CHASE) in Middlesex.
  10. St Wilfrid’s Hospice (run by St Wilfrid’s Hospice Eastbourne) in Eastbourne.

Good

  1. The Hospice of Our Lady and St John (run by The Hospice of Our Lady and St John) in Milton Keynes.
  2. St Luke’s Hospice (run by St Luke’s Hospice) in Sheffield.
  3. Wakefield Hospice (run by Wakefield Hospice) in Wakefield.
  4. Mount Edgcumbe Hospice (run by Cornwall Hospice Care Limited) in Cornwall.
  5. Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice (run by Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice) in Sheffield.
  6. Dove House Hospice (run by North Humberside Hospice Project Limited) in Hull.
  7. St Peter and St James Charitable Trust (run by The St Peter and St James Charitable Trust) in East Sussex.
  8. Butterwick Hospice (run by Butterwick Limited) in Country Durham.
  9. Dove Cottage Day Hospice (run by Dove Cottage Day Hospice) in Leicestershire.
  10. Hartlepool and District Hospice (run by Hartlepool and District Hospice) in Hartlepool. 
  11. Douglas MacMillan Hospice (run by Douglas MacMillan Hospice) in Stoke on Trent.
  12. Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury (run by Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent) in Kent.
  13. St Helena Hospice, Tendring (run by St Helena Hospice Limited) in Essex.
  14. Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle (run by Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle) in Burnley.
  15. The Jessie May Trust (run by The Jessie May Trust) in Bristol.
  16. Chestnut Tree House (run by St Barnabas Hospices (Sussex) Limited) in West Sussex.
  17. St Andrew’s Hospice, Adult and Children’s Services (run by St Andrew’s Hospice Limited) in Lincolnshire.
  18. Isabel Hospice (run by Isabel Hospice Limited) in Hertfordshire.
  19. St Catherine’s Hospice (Lancashire) (run by St Catherine’s Hospice Lancashire Limited) in Lancashire.
  20. Sue Ryder – Nettlebed Hospice (run by Sue Ryder) in Oxfordshire.
  21. Sue Ryder – Thorpe Hall (run by Sue Ryder) in Cambridgeshire.
  22. Royal Trinity Hospice (run by Royal Trinity Hospice) in London.
  23. Mary Ann Evans Hospice (run by Mary Ann Evans Hospice) in Nuneaton.
  24. Alice House Trading Limited (run by Alice House Trading Limited) in Hartlepool.

Requires Improvement

  1. Tynedale Hospice at Home (run by Tynedale Hospice at Home) in Northumberland
  2. Castleside House (run by The North Northumberland Hospice) in Northumberland.

Inadequate

  1. The Margaret Centre (run by Barts Health NHS Trust) in London. An adult social care hospice inspection at The Margaret Centre was carried out in May 2015 as the provider had incorrectly registered this service as a hospice. CQC’s inspection team found it was a palliative unit of Whipps Cross Hospital. The registration of this service is now cancelled and no longer exists.

For further information about World Hospice and Palliative Care Day visit: www.thewhpca.org/about and visit www.cqc.org.uk for full copies of the reports for detailed reports on each hospice.