Marie Curie Hospice Bradford and its Yorkshire Community Services has been rated ‘Outstanding’ in a report published on March 22 by The Care Quality Commission.
As the UK’s leading end of life charity, Marie Curie provides care and support for anyone with an illness they’re likely to die from and the inspection, which was carried out over two days in January, examined all of the Bradford hospice’s services as well as the charity’s community-based services across Yorkshire.
It rated the services as “Outstanding” overall – the highest possible award – with “Outstanding” ratings for both its leadership and how responsive staff were to both the individual needs of patients and that of the wider community.
The report noted: “People are truly respected and valued as individuals and are empowered as partners in their care, practically and emotionally, by an exceptional and distinctive service.”
Sue Hogston, Marie Curie’s Head of Nursing and Quality for Yorkshire, said:
“We’re delighted with the report and it cements what we passionately believe – that Marie Curie Hospice Bradford and its community services are a real jewel in the crown for the people of Bradford and Yorkshire.
“We’re particularly pleased that the report shined a light on how our staff go above and beyond in responding to individual patients needs, while consistently delivering expert palliative care both in the hospice and in patients’ own homes.”
The report rated the services as “good” in the areas of safe, effective and caring, and had special praise for how services were flexible in catering for individuals and those important to them.
The report states that: “Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs and helped them understand their conditions. People who used the service were active partners in their care.”
It also highlighted examples of staff ‘going the extra mile’, including an example where staff had approached the local theatre to secure a signed programme from pantomime cast members for an inpatient who’d expressed a love of theatre and pantomime.
The report highlighted how all staff, including admin, kitchen and housekeeping team members worked together to meet patients’ needs, saying all staff “…had a clear understanding of each other’s roles, … Staff told us that each profession and staff group was equally respected within the team.”
It also noted the holistic approach to care: “The importance on bereavement counselling was prevalent within the service. Staff understood the emotional and social impact that a person’s care, treatment or condition had on their wellbeing and on those close to them.”
The inspector had special praise for the leadership, management, and governance of the charity, saying they help to deliver “…high quality and person-centred care, supported learning and innovation, promoting an open and fair culture”.
It adds: “Staff understood the service’s vision and values both at local and corporate level and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported, and valued.”
The range of services reviewed as part of this inspection included the hospice in Maudsley Street, Marie Curie’s planned hospice care at home services, its urgent care services, and its REACT service. The REACT service is unique to Bradford, and involves Marie Curie clinical staff working closely with Bradford Royal Infirmary to support people with terminal illness and reduce the number of days they spend in hospital in the last year of life.
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The UK’s leading end of life charity Marie Curie has received an ‘outstanding’ rating in a report published on 22 March by The Care Quality Commission for the charity’s Newcastle Hospice and community services in the North East.
Marie Curie is the only hospice and palliative care provider in Newcastle to be rated as ‘Outstanding.’
Marie Curie Nurses and healthcare professionals provide expert palliative and end of life care, whatever the illness, in the comfort of people’s homes and in the charity’s hospices.
The inspection, which was carried out over two days in January, looked at all services provided by the charity at the Newcastle hospice, as well as community-based services including the Marie Curie Hospice Care at Home overnight service, Durham Urgent Hospice Care at Home Service and the North East Companion service.
The CQC rated the Noth East services as “Outstanding” overall – the highest possible award – with “Outstanding” ratings for the Effective, Caring and Well-led categories.
Gillian Raine, Marie Curie’s Head of Nursing and Quality for North East, said:
“We know how passionate our staff are about their work and the expert care they provide, so we are thrilled that this has been recognised by CQC. We are all driven by the same goal of delivering high quality holistic palliative care, both in the hospice and in patients’ homes.
“It was particularly pleasing to see inspectors shining a light on how we always strive to involve patients in their own care and respond to their individual needs.
As part of the visit, inspectors spoke to patients and their families. The report reads:
“Patients and those close to them told us that they were active partners in their care and fully involved at all stages.
“….feedback was consistently positive with care described as ‘excellent’, ‘immediately put at ease’, ‘very professional’. We heard that families felt the support allowed them, for example, ‘to be husband or wife again rather than carer’.”
Jose Gaglioni from Gosforth was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in November 2022, and has been using various services at Marie Curie Newcastle Hospice Wellbeing Centre since January 2023. As well as physiotherapy, he is now part the Men’s Baking Group, and receives support from one the hospice’s counsellors.
Jose said:
“Honestly, the award is more than deserved. It is just a fantastic place.
“I didn’t know much about the Marie Curie Newcastle hospice before I came here. I thought it was just a place people came to die. But actually no, it is such a warm and friendly place with so much to it. I love coming to the groups – I have made some good friends and I just look forward to coming to the groups, talking and having a few laughs.
“Nothing is too much of a problem for the staff – from the receptionists, the kitchen workers to the cleaners and all the nurses and medical team. There is always someone willing to help.”
The report details how Marie Curie teams respond to the changing needs of service users with staff being “proactive in seeking out the views of patients, public, health professional groups and community groups”. It highlighted how positively the hospice environment was viewed and described it as “bright and spacious”.
The inspector had special praise for the leadership, management, and governance of the organisation, saying leaders were “…dedicated to providing an inclusive, compassionate and highly effective service.”.
The report adds: “Staff were proud to work for the service and felt truly respected, supported and valued… regardless of grade or role within the service.”
Staff were praised for being “…consistently committed to treating patients and those close to them with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, found innovative ways to meet their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided strong, caring and respectful emotional support to patients, and those close to them.”
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For more information about the Marie Curie, visit www.mariecurie.org.uk. For practical and emotional help on all matters concerning end of life or bereavement, call the free Marie Curie Support Line 0800 090 2309.
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