Hospice in the Weald

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

This meant, we looked for evidence that people were always treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. We checked that people’s privacy and dignity was respected, that they understood that they and their experience of how they were treated and supported mattered. We also looked for evidence that every effort was made to take people’s wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

At our last assessment, we rated this key question outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

We assessed all quality statements for this key question.

People told us they consistently felt extremely well supported and genuinely cared for by staff. Staff recognised people as individuals, and tailored care to meet each person’s personal needs, preferences and what mattered most to them. People consistently received care that was kind, compassionate and respectful. Staff actively protected people’s privacy and dignity, taking time to understand what mattered to them most, making sure they felt valued and listened to. People were supported to make choices about their care and were encouraged to maintain important relationships with family and friends. Staff responded promptly and sensitively to people’s needs, creating a calm reassuring and compassionate environment. The service prioritised staff wellbeing recognising that a supported and valued workforce was essential to delivering outstanding care.

This service scored 90 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The evidence showed an exceptional standard. The service was exceptional at treating people with kindness,empathyand compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People experienced a high standard of care. Staff were exceptionally kind and compassionate and focused on maintaining peoples’ comfort, dignity and emotional wellbeing. People told us staff made them feel safe and that their care was tailored to their individual needs. One person said, “All my needs have been met with care and attention.”, while another told us,” The staff are so kind and supportive.”

The hospice actively sought feedback from patients and their families, which was overwhelmingly positive. They also held listening events about the living well service and acted on what people told them. As a result, changes made through action plans improved access to services tailored to individual needs, supporting a better quality of life, for example by extending programme lengths from 12 to 24 weeks.

The hospice supported families as well as their loved ones. Feedback praised staff for being sensitive and responsive and for helping families create lasting memories. One family told us staff ensured their loved one was pain free so they could enjoy a special event together.

Staff on the inpatient ward offered to meet with every family following the death of a patient to offer support. Relatives told us, “They support everyone, not just the patient.” One relative shared that they continued visiting the hospice weekly for support after their loved one had died. Bereaved relatives told the hospice that counselling support received before and after bereavement was invaluable in helping families support their children through grief.

The service worked proactively to build strong relationships with local and diverse communities. Leaders met with members of the local Muslim community to better understand about how the hospice could support them. Leaders responded to feedback by including facilities for hand and foot washing and a dedicated prayer space in planned renovations.

Staff were supported to meet people’s cultural needs through education and training, including a webinar on personalised care. This helped staff understand different beliefs and cultural practices at the end of life and provide care that was respectful, compassionate and met individual needs.

The evidence showed an exceptional standard. The servicetreated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support andtreatment met people’s needs and preferences. The service took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

We reviewed 5 care records which included detailed information about people’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs. This helped staff to provide highly personalised care. The service recognised peoples individual needs and reflected them in their care treatment and support. We heard many examples of staff responding to people’s individual wishes creating personalised, meaningful experiences for patients. For example, staff organised a wedding for a patient. On another occasion, they helped bake a birthday cake for a patient’s partner reflecting what they would have done at home. In another example, staff bought the seaside to a patient’s room, when they were too unwell to visit but had particularly wanted to go. Staff brought in sand, a paddling pool, fish and chips and seaside music. The service told us staff across all departments worked together to make these moments possible. Relatives praised the hospice for its sensitivity and compassion, saying this gave their loved ones dignity and a sense of control.

The service told us staff worked to meet people’s personal wishes, such as celebrating an anniversary or Christmas early. Staff encouraged visits from beloved pets, and shared examples, including a horse being brought onto the premises. People told the hospice this support gave them comfort and dignity.

Feedback from the April 2025 patient survey included positive comments such as “Care is personalised.” All 7 respondents said their wishes were respected.

People and those close to them described the support they received in very positive terms. One person told us” They support everyone, not just the patient, which makes a difference.”, and another said,” We can do things together, which helps us make more memories.”

We looked at 5 patient healthcare records which showed staff considered people’s emotional, spiritual, cultural and social needs. The hospice provided a chaplaincy service which supported people of any faith, religion or none.

The evidence showed an exceptional standard. The service was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care,treatmentand wellbeing.

People were consistently supported to have choice and control over their care and to make decisions about their care, treatment and wellbeing. The service actively encouraged people to be involved in planning their care, and a survey in April 2025 showed that all 7 patients who responded felt encouraged to do so. People told us “My wishes have always been heard, respected and thoughtfully considered.”, “My wishes and opinions have been listened to with care.”, and “I feel confident in the support and attention provided by staff.”

Staff actively supported overnight stays for family members when requested by patients. The April 2025 hospice survey asked 4 relatives for feedback, and all 4 said their loved one’s wishes were respected. Relatives told us, “Wishes were heard and respected.”

Staff were consistently attentive to people’s needs. People told us their wishes were respected. While taking part in on-site activities was encouraged, they could choose not to join if they wished. The hospice placed a strong emphasis on maintaining a good quality of life and offered a wide range of meaningful activities for people and those close to them. One person told us “I used to think a hospice was only a place where people came to die, but here, you are truly encouraged to live your best life.”

The hospice provided a living well service offering a range of groups and activities for people and their relatives, including physical exercise, art therapies and social groups. Staff personalised activities to reflect people’s interests and preferences, ensuring choice, dignity and control.

Staff supported people receiving care in their own homes by providing access to advice out of hours, including advice on symptom control.

The service had a care after death protocol which demonstrated continued respect for people as individuals. Staff ensured that the focus remained on respecting spiritual, religious and cultural wishes of the deceased and their families, while meeting legal and health and safety requirements. Staff referred family and loved ones to the counselling service when required.

People could access physiotherapy and occupational therapy at the hospice. These services helped people manage symptoms and supported people to stay independent.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

We saw staff talking with patients about their immediate needs. Patients told us “There is always someone available to help.”, and “Nothing is too much trouble.” The service responded to individual needs by offering alternative meals and providing drinks and snacks outside set mealtimes.

People told us call bells were always answered promptly and that their needs were met with “compassion and professionalism”.

The service responded to patient feedback about consistency in staffing within the community team by reorganising workloads, so care was delivered by a smaller, more consistent team.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to deliver person-centred care.

Leaders recognised the importance of staff wellbeing in the delivery of safe person- centred care. Staff told us they felt informed about organisational change and that leaders were visible and approachable. Leaders supported staff with regular clinical supervision and counselling support was available to all staff including volunteers, if required.

However, some staff told us that opportunities for progression were limited. All registered nurses on the ward were paid at the same grade with a financial uplift for each shift in charge. Staff also told us that opportunities for training were limited. Leaders recognised this and told us they were working to address this through a partnership with a local university for education and development, alongside the introduction of a dedicated training role.

We asked for details of the staff survey and resulting action plans, but the detailed information we requested was not provided. Leaders instead told us that staff surveys that had taken place focusing on organisational culture and future plans for the service. They also told us there needed to be more emphasis on recognising and rewarding success for their teams.