We carried out a review of the data available to us about Wirral Hospice St John's on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Wirral Hospice St John's, you can give feedback on this service.
Our rating of this service stayed the same. We rated it as good because:
However:
The service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. At the time of our visit the service had a registered manager and a number of other senior staff with responsibility for various aspects of the organisation.
The service provides an in-patient service for a maximum of 16 people and day services for a maximum of 12 people per day. They also provide social and emotional support in people’s own homes but this does not include nursing or personal care. People are admitted to the hospice for assessment and management of complex symptoms and rehabilitation following treatment. The average length of stay is approximately two weeks.
Care is provided by a specialist team of doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, a social worker, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, psychologist and aromatherapist. They are supported by a creative therapist, a chaplain, bereavement counsellors, housekeeping and maintenance teams, education staff, finance, administration and fundraising staff. At the time of the inspection, the service had 502 volunteers working in various roles throughout the organisation.
During our visits we saw that the premises were safe and clean and a programme of regular planned maintenance was in place. We observed that medicines were stored, checked, administered, recorded and disposed of safely.
Staff and volunteers received annual mandatory training and were supported in their roles by the management team. People who used the service had a choice of nutritious meals and every effort was made to accommodate individual dietary needs and preferences. People’s capacity to make decisions and give consent was assessed and recorded.
People were treated with kindness, compassion and respect. The specialist professional advisor commented ‘General observations of interactions between staff, patients, and family members during the visit demonstrated caring, trusting relationships built on genuine respect, and person centred care was being delivered. Patients openly praised staff during introductions and interactions observed, and spoke very highly of the care they received. They all said they felt safe at the hospice and symptom management was effective.’
The quality of the service was assessed and monitored regularly by a series of external and internal auditing tools. People who used the service, and their families, were encouraged to give feedback and their observations and comments were acted on.
The patients we spoke with told us that they were happy with the care they received. Comments included "It's fantastic, the care is unbelievable" and "I'm looked after very well". They were also extremely complimentary about the staff and made comments such as "Everyone's very pleasant and helpful" and "They couldn't do any more".
Patients told us that they received their medicines at the times that they needed them and they were never kept waiting for pain relief.
Patients told us that the food was very good and they could have whatever they wanted to eat or drink at any time. One person said "The food is great and they always ask what you want". Another said "The food is really nice. I need a special diet and I've never been refused anything I've asked for". Patients and relatives also told us that they enjoyed the caf' facility by the reception area as it enabled them to spend time with their family members away from the wards and bedrooms.
The required records were kept securely and retained for an appropriate period of time.
The patients and their relatives spoken with told us they were very happy with the level and type of care and support offered by the staff team. One comment made was: 'This is a small thing but has meant so much to me and my family, when the volunteers and staff come into my room to offer me a drink they always ask my relative. They see them and show that they understand we are in this together.'
Care and treatment plans reflected the holistic needs of the patients who used the service.
Patients told us that they felt safe at the service. Staff members spoken with described how they would ensure the welfare of vulnerable people was protected through the whistle blowing and safeguarding procedures. Records showed training had been provided around the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and that appropriate referrals in the best interests of vulnerable patients had been made.
We looked at staff files and found there were effective recruitment and selection processes in place. Records showed where complaints had been made they had been recorded and action had been taken.
The expert by experience spoke to staff and made observations of staff members' interaction with people who used the service and family members. The expert by experience reported:
'Staff and volunteers respected patients and their relatives and constantly checked they were ok and whether they needed anything.'
Questionnaires are distributed to people who used the service and their families regularly. The most recent results were displayed in the reception area under the heading 'Your comments our Actions' and indicated overall people were very satisfied with the care and treatment offered by the service.
The people who used the service and their family members spoken with were very complimentary about the staff at the service and the care they provided. Some comments were;
'Previously a hospice meant death to me but now it is where you get help and support, it's amazing.'
'This place is fantastic I feel safe here so does my wife. I'm going home soon and all the support I need has been put in place. It makes life so much easier and less stressful'.
'When I came here I thought it would be a sad and depressing place but it's not it is just so peaceful and full of kindness'.
Relatives told us they were able to visit any time and that the staff were welcoming and supportive.
The expert by experience found that the care and welfare of people who used the service was well promoted by the high standards of cleanliness. The expert found the hand hygiene practices were monitored closely with all visitors and staff entering the ward areas expected to wash their hands and the apply alcohol rub.
People spoken with during the inspection visit told us they were happy with the support offered by the hospice in the planning of their care when they left the service. Some comments made were:
'I'm going home soon and I couldn't be happier my wife and I know exactly what's going to happen and who will be coming to our home to help me and my wife. The planning that's been done has taken a lot of worry and anxiety away from us.'