Prospect Hospice in Swindon has been rated as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after making “significant” improvements and recovering from enforcement action and warning notices just two years ago.
The CQC carried out two inspections in February 2018 and August 2018 and took enforcement action both times with a further inspection in August 2019 triggering a warning notice due to concerns about weak governance and poor oversight of quality.
It was monitored and a November 2020 inspection found the service had met all requirements of the warning notice.
Inspectors then carried out a comprehensive inspection in July this year following a number of improvements including introducing of a new leadership team.
Following this latest inspection, the overall rating for Prospect Hospice was increased from requires improvement to outstanding. Caring and well-led were rated as outstanding, while safe, effective and responsive were all rated as good.
What inspectors found
Inspectors found patients were consulted and were actively involved in how they wanted their care to be delivered, that staff were proactive in responding to patient needs and choices and developed new ways of working to meet those needs and that senior leaders worked with the wider health community to help develop and improve their service along with its future vision and strategy.
Staff were found to have supported families and loved ones by offering emotional support, that they cared enough to think about patient preferences outside of their working hours and that they talked with patients, families and carers in a way they could understand, using communication aids where necessary.
Sustained journey of improvement
CQC deputy chief inspector of hospital inspection Nigel Acheson, said the hospice had been on a sustained journey of improvement and it was clear the new leadership team had taken feedback on board and worked hard to address concerns.
“Previously CQC did have a number of concerns, especially with risks to patient safety, staff engagement and the leadership of the hospice,” Acheson said.
“However, the new management team have made significant improvements and we feel assured that these have been thoroughly embedded.”
He noted the change in culture had produced a positive impact on patient care and allowed staff to explore more innovative ways to care for people.
“Although staff were already providing care with dignity and respect, now they are even more responsive to individual wishes and requests, especially for people who need end of life care, as they work in partnership with these patients to ensure their final wishes are a reality,” he continued.
“The service has come a long way and staff and the leadership team deserve to be congratulated for the hard work they have put in to turn the service around.”
Person-centred care
Irene Watkins, chief executive at Prospect Hospice, said she was delighted with the result but could not express how pleased she was for the staff, volunteers and supporters at the hospice.
“Everyone works incredibly hard to ensure that every patient we see receives a good death and that looks different to everyone,” she said.
“Our approach is always to put the person at the heart of their care and this is something the CQC highlighted.
“I’m also delighted that this report reflects how we work differently to other healthcare professionals to ensure each person receives the tailored care that is right for them.”
