End of life care at King's Mill Hospital praised by CQC inspectors
End of life care at King’s Mill Hospital has been praised by CQC inspectors for treating patients with “exceptional compassion, kindness, dignity and respect”.
The service was rated ‘good’ overall and ‘outstanding” in the caring category by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection on May 27 and 28.
In their report, published on October 23, inspectors highlighted a number of key strengths, noting that effective systems were in place to support patient safety, safeguarding, staffing and multidisciplinary working.
The report stated: “Staff consistently delivered exceptionally compassionate, dignified and respectful care, building trusting relationships and supporting patients' physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Patients were involved in decisions about their care, had access to clear information, and felt confident that feedback was welcomed and acted upon.”
Inspectors also received positive feedback from patients and their families with the report stating “They told us they were listened to, and that staff were approachable, supportive, and excellent.”
However, inspectors said an area for improvement was identified as one patient had not received a mental capacity assessment in line with legislation.
Executive Chief Nurse at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, Philip Bolton, said: “We are extremely proud that the Care Quality Commission has recognised the quality of care provided by our teams with an overall ‘Good’ rating with ‘Outstanding for Caring’. It reflects the dedication and compassion of our colleagues and their continued commitment to providing safe, effective and person-centred care.
“The report recognises the positive experiences of patients and families, as well as the challenges facing NHS services. We will now build on the strengths identified and use the CQC’s feedback to support our ongoing work to improve care and patient experience.”
Chief Medical Officer at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, Dr Simon Roe said: “ End of life care is a vital opportunity to ensure a patient’s wishes, dignity and individual needs are respected. We only get one opportunity to get this right so every conversation, decision and action matters.”