Local charity Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care has received glowing praise following its recent inspection from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of all health and social care providers in England.
CQC inspectors visited the Hospice in Farnham on 19th and 20th July, arriving unannounced to ensure that they saw the building, staff, volunteers and services as they are every day. They were impressed not only by the way in which the charity cares for patients and families who are living with a terminal illness, but also by the support it shows for its staff, who are well-trained and highly-valued, and who work collaboratively as a structured and well-led team.
The report assessed the Hospice on five main criteria, ensuring that the service it provided was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Excellent comments and praise were given in all of these areas, leading the inspectors to give the charity an overall rating of ‘good’, with staff ‘committed to providing people with the best possible palliative and end-of-life care’.
Praise was given to Hospice staff, whom the inspectors observed were ‘kind, compassionate and forward thinking in meeting people's needs.’ It was noted that ClodaghSowton, Director of Patient Services, had led the clinical team since 1988 and was ‘dedicated to constantly improving the service.’ The report stated that ‘staff were highly motivated and committed’, continuing ‘People told us staff dedicated their time to listen… and did not rush them.’ One patient commented "I cannot speak too highly of the support and care given by Phyllis Tuckwell”.
Inspectors also noted that ‘regularmulti-disciplinary meetings were undertaken to review and respond accordingly to peoples' changing needs,’ and that the ‘management and staff worked closely with other professionals and agencies to ensure peoples' various needs were fully met.’
Staff felt valued, listened to and well supported, said the report, resulting in a motivated team which provided a high standard of care to patients and families, with staff clear about the leadership structure, and emphasis placed on the continuous improvement of the service. The report enthused that ‘staffing levels were closely monitored [and] ... were increased to support people with more complex needs and for 'one to one' nursing,’ with one member of staff commenting "There is time to spend with patients and relatives." A person's relative said, "It's really nice. Nothing seems to be too much to ask."
Comprehensive induction and ongoing training was offered to staff at all levels, with doctors receiving specialist training in pain management and all staff provided with communication skills training. Medicines were stored securely and administered safely, and ‘regular environmental and health and safety checks were carried out to ensure that the environment was safe and that equipment was fit for use’.
“We are delighted that this inspection found no areas for improvement,” said Sarah Brocklebank, Chief Executive at Phyllis Tuckwell. “The high praise and many excellent comments which the report contains are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our all of our staff and volunteers, who care so much about the services we provide and offer such professional and compassionate care to our patients and their families. We are proud to provide such a vital and well-supported service for the local community.”
To find out more about Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care, visit www.pth.org.uk
