A hospice which provides “outstanding end of life care” which allows people to experience a “dignified” death has received top marks from inspectors.
St Elizabeth Hospice, based in Foxhall Road, Ipswich, was graded ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission following an unannounced inspection in October last year.
Inspectors described the hospice as “extremely caring and focused on providing a tailored service” and having “excellent leadership and management”.
Verity Jolly, the registered manager and hospice director of patient services, said: “We are all very proud of this achievement because the service we provide is so important. “The report confirms the skills, experience and commitment of all staff and volunteers to make the hospice a very special place that puts the patient and their family right at the centre of everything.”
The hospice was rated as ‘good’ at providing a service that is safe, effective and responsive and as ‘outstanding’ at caring and the service being well-led.
The report also highlighted that patients felt safe and trusted the staff and there is the right number of staff with the appropriate skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs.
Patients and families used words such as nurturing, lovely and kind to describe the care and nursing staff.
Feedback from patients and families was positive, one patient highlighted ‘an act of kindness’, “when I first came here I said I liked reading a newspaper but didn’t get one any more as it’s too much effort, but every day I come here there is a paper waiting for me with my first cup of tea. How kind is that?”
It also noted that the service was responsive to need, using an example where a Hospice at Home nurse organised a discharge home from hospital. The patient was discharged on a Saturday and was back home with his family by the afternoon.
St Elizabeth Hospice provides specialist support to people in the east Suffolk area.
Support is given to people in the community, at home or in care homes, helping them manage the day-to-day symptoms of their illness.
The hospice also provides a day service where people can visit for short periods of time to receive treatment, and in inpatient unit with 18 beds in Ipswich.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here