The “kind and caring” staff at a hospice have been given the highest rating possible by inspectors.<\/p>\n
Teesside Hospice, based in Middlesbrough, runs a 10-bed inpatient unit as well as a wellbeing centre, bereavement counselling and a lymphoedema clinic.<\/p>\n
Officials from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected the service in June and have now confirmed the hospice’s rating has improved from good to outstanding.<\/p>\n
Gill Hodgson-Reilly, CQC deputy director for north-east England, said it was “an exceptional service” where staff “worked hard to provide the best possible care to people at the end of their lives”.<\/p>\n
The hospice was praised for being involved in the local community through charity shops and attending nearby events.<\/p>\n
Hodgson-Reilly said: “We found an exceptional service where staff and leaders worked hard to provide the best possible care to people at the end of their lives.<\/p>\n
“Kind and caring staff understood people’s needs and… help make their time at the hospice comfortable and happy.<\/p>\n
“Leaders had an exceptional understanding of the service they managed and ensured people were given the best possible care.”<\/p>\n
‘Go the extra mile’<\/p>\n
The inspector also praised mangers for being aware of discrimination and inequality which could disadvantage different groups of people trying to access care.<\/p>\n
She highlighted feedback from a same-sex couple who previously reported “not fitting in” at other care providers.<\/p>\n
At Teesside Hospice, they told the inspector they were able to “laugh and cry with peers whom they never thought they would connect with”.<\/p>\n
Hodgson-Reilly said: “Other services should look to this report to see if there’s anything to learn from it.”<\/p>\n
Group director of nursing at Teesside Hospice, Heather Stuart, said the staff “go the extra mile” every day.<\/p>\n
“I’m so proud of the whole team and know that they will do all they can to continue to reach such a high standard of care,” she said.<\/p>\n
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