Saint Catherine’s is Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission

Saint Catherine’s is Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission

5th August 2019 –

Saint Catherine’s is delighted to announce that the organisation has been rated ‘Outstanding’ in a recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The CQC, which is the independent regulator of all health and social care services in England, visited Saint Catherine’s in May and returned for a follow-up visit in June.

Inspectors looked at all services, including in-patient care, Hospice at Home,  specialist palliative care community services, specialist nursing, social work, outpatient clinics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, complementary therapies, bereavement support and spiritual care.

They visited various departments across the organisation, including catering, housekeeping, maintenance, human resources, volunteering and more, to build up a picture of how the organisation works as a whole, speaking to patients, families, staff, trustees and volunteers.

The CQC looks at whether services are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Since the hospice was last inspected and rated Outstanding in 2016, the process has become even more rigorous, as hospices are now inspected under similar criteria to hospitals rather than care homes.

Mike Wilkerson, chief executive, said: “This is a huge credit to all of our staff and volunteers. To be rated as ‘Outstanding’ is a result of the job they do, the dedication they show, the care and consideration they provide to our patients, their families and carers, and the passion they have for continuing to demonstrate Saint Catherine’s is an outstanding place. On behalf of our Board of Trustees, I would like to thank everyone for their hard work and say how proud we all are of this fantastic achievement.”

Highlights of the report include:

• There were multiple examples of where staff had gone the extra mile to ensure person-focussed, exceptional care.
• Staff empowered patients and families to be partners in care, practically and emotionally.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and took account of their individual needs.
• There was individual consultation with patients which ensured that food was appropriate to their individual needs and preferences.
• Patients and relatives we spoke with said that staff had made them feel very welcome. They said, ‘what the staff do is marvellous and they are worth their weight in gold’.

The full report can be viewed at www.cqc.org.uk