A NORTH Yorkshire hospice has received a ‘good’ rating following an inspection.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has given Saint Catherine’s Hospice in Scarborough the rating in all areas, including safety, care, and leadership.
Inspectors from the watchdog said that patients were treated with kindness and compassion, and the facilities and equipment met the patients’ needs.
The hospice, located at Throxenby Lane, Newby, works with adults and their families in North and East Yorkshire and the majority of its services are provided free of charge.
Saint Catherine’s can accommodate up to 18 inpatients but inspectors said that due to a funding shortfall, not all the beds could be operated.
The hospice provides a hospice at home service, specialist palliative care services, outpatient services including a lymphoedema clinic, therapy and counselling services, a specialist palliative social work service, and an out of hours telephone support line.
Inspectors visited the site earlier this year and said the facilities were clean and well-maintained, and the service demonstrated a learning culture “in some areas and patients could raise concerns”.
During the inspection, they noted that one oxygen cylinder was out of date and some checks had not been carried out on the resuscitation equipment as the hospice policy identified.
However, they added that managers investigated incidents thoroughly and patients were protected and kept safe, and staff understood and managed risks.
“Staff made sure patients understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent,” the inspectors said.
According to a report published by the CQC, patients and any family or carers with them “were all positive about the staff treating them with warmth and kindness and providing effective care and treatment”.
It adds: “They said they felt safe, could not fault the service, and family members expressed no concerns about their family being treated at the hospice.”
The previous inspection took place in November 2021, when the service was rated good overall, and the ‘responsive’ section was rated outstanding.
Several proposed actions were identified and the CQC said that it had “observed these had been implemented”.
However, it added that “there were not enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience” although training was available and was accessed by staff.
Inspectors concluded that staff looked after the privacy and dignity of patients and they treated them as individuals and supported their preferences: “Patients had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends.”
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