• Hospice service

Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services Limited

Overall: Outstanding read more about inspection ratings

Low Moor Road, Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0BG (01253) 358881

Provided and run by:
Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services Ltd

All Inspections

13 July 2016

During a routine inspection

The inspection visit at Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services Limited was undertaken on 13 July 2016 and was announced. We gave 48 hours’ notice of the inspection because of the sensitive nature of the service provided. We also wanted to ensure people, staff and visitors were available to talk with us.

Trinity provides palliative and end of life care for 33 children and adults with life limiting illnesses. The service supports people and their families, providing spiritual and holistic care. Furthermore, they offer a hospice at home service in the local community to assist individuals living at home. At the time of our inspection, there were eight people inpatient at Trinity. Additionally, the hospice supported approximately 500 individuals in their own homes within the Blackpool and surrounding areas. The service further employed two teams of clinical nurse specialists in the wider community who worked at the local hospital and with community services. They supported people who were inpatient and worked collaboratively with district nurses for those who lived in their own homes. The nurse specialists provided palliative care management, symptom control advice and facilitated complex treatment discussions with people and their families.

Trinity is situated in a residential area close to local amenities. The service supports people in three different units: the main hospice inpatient unit; Brian’s House (the children’s unit); and a day therapy unit. Bedrooms are for single occupancy, spacious and comfortable. Additional facilities include therapy areas, private consultation rooms and extensive gardens.

A registered manager was in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 last inspection on 20 August 2014, we found the provider was meeting all the requirements of the regulations inspected.

During this inspection, staff, people and visitors said the service was organised to a high standard and had exceptional leadership. The registered manager worked jointly with other agencies to develop best practice and foster excellent partnership relationships. For example, they conducted various research studies with the local hospital that influenced and improved best practice and national care policy-making. We saw this had a major impact upon people’s care, safety and welfare.

We found staff, people and relatives were at the heart of Trinity’s quality assurance programme. The management team set up multiple forums to involve and gain their feedback. One comment we saw stated, “Nothing needs improvement.” A relative fed back, “Fantastic support given by the hospice at home team.” The registered manager had remarkable oversight of care provision, service quality and everyone’s safety. This included multiple auditing systems, a range of different staff-level meetings and various structures to review staff, people and visitor’s views.

We observed staff provided outstanding support that had the person at the centre of their care and treatment. Without exception, people and their relatives spoke extremely highly of staff and their experiences of care. One relative said, “I really cannot praise them enough.”

We found care planning enabled staff to work in a highly personalised and holistic approach. People told us staff were efficient at responding to them and their requirements. End of life care plans were very detailed and relatives told us related support was excellent. One relative fed back, “The memory boxes have been overwhelming since my [family member] passed away.”

People and their representatives said staff worked collaboratively with them to ensure they received high standards of care. One person said staff advised them in ways that helped them to understand and be fully involved in their care. They added, “We were given lots of information to help us prior to and on the day we arrived, like leaflets and booklets.”

We toured the service and found it had an exceptionally tranquil, warm, happy and welcoming atmosphere throughout. One person said, “I hold Trinity in my heart. I didn’t want to leave.” The hospice demonstrated a highly sensitive and compassionate understanding of protecting and respecting people’s human rights. We found staff were passionate about providing a non-discriminatory service.

The registered manager had systems to monitor and manage accidents and incidents to maintain everyone’s safety. We found people had risk assessments to minimise the risk of harm or injury to them. The provider ensured staff received safeguarding training to underpin their roles and responsibilities. One person confirmed, “I feel safe and supported.”

We noted the registered manager had sufficient staffing and skill mixes to meet people’s levels of support. People told us staffing levels were ample to meet their needs. We saw staff had extensive training to underpin their skills in supporting people at Trinity. The management team had not always followed their recruitment procedures, but took immediate action to address this.

People said they received their medication on time and when they required them. We noted two responsible staff administered medicines together without interruption to ensure a methodical and safe approach. Associated records we looked at were up-to-date and completed accurately.

We found the registered manager trained staff in nutritional support to enhance their awareness of associated risks. When we discussed the quality of meals with people and their relatives, they said food was of a good standard. One person told us, “If there’s not something we like they always get something else from the kitchen for us and it’s never too much trouble for them.”

Staff received training about the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and demonstrated good awareness of related principles. Care records held documented evidence of the person’s agreement to care.

17 February 2014

During a routine inspection

We spoke with a range of people about the hospice. They included the registered manager, staff members, volunteers, patients, relatives and visitors. We also asked for the views of external agencies in order to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced using Trinity Hospice.

We spent time in all areas of the hospice, including the in-patient unit, the day centre and the children's specialist unit, Brian House. This helped us to observe the daily routines and gain an insight into how people's care and support was being managed. Staff treated people with respect and ensured their privacy when supporting them. They provided support or attention as people requested it.

We spoke with people about the care and support they received. They said they were happy with the care and support being provided. One person told us, 'The care has been very, very good, couldn't ask for anything better.'

There were systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. Patients and relative we spoke with had no concerns about infection control. Comments included, "I have no concerns about hygiene.' And, 'There are always cleaning staff around. The building is always so clean."

The hospice had a range of audits and systems in place to monitor the quality of the service being provided. This included taking into account people's views and experiences. This meant the hospice effectively monitored the quality of its service provision.

20 September 2012

During a routine inspection

People who used the service told us they understood the care and support services available to them, and that they were involved in making decisions about care and treatment.

People told us they were treated respectfully by staff and the support the hospice could provide was explained to them before they were admitted. Staff members we spoke with told us they thought it was essential to make people feel at ease when they were admitted. Also, it was equally important to keep relatives informed of care and treatment.

People we spoke with were satisfied with the care and support they received. One person told us, the changes in pain relief had made him feel much more confident to return home.

Another person told us "It's so calm in here and the staff cant do enough for you.'

When asked people told us they felt safe using the service. One person said "There are always staff around you are never on your own, it makes me feel secure".

People told us they were happy with the service and knew how to raise issues, should they have any. People we spoke with said they didn't have any complaints or concerns.