We carried out a review of the data available to us about Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury 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 Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury, you can give feedback on this service.
The inspection was unannounced. At the previous inspection in December 2013, we found that there were no breaches of legal requirements.
Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury is one of three hospice locations for the provider, Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent. It provides specialist end of life care and care to people with life limiting illnesses, their carers and families. Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury has a 16 bed in-patient unit and provides day therapy and bereavement counselling. The service also provides services for people in the community including hospice services for people at home, outreach clinics in Faversham, Whitstable and Dover, support groups and 24 hour advice. Services are provided by a multidisciplinary team of health and social care professionals and volunteers. The service was providing services to 393 people in the community and in the hospice at the time of the inspection.
The hospice is run by a registered manager, who was present on the day of the inspection. 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.
People said that they felt safe receiving care from the hospice. Staff had been trained in safeguarding adults and received regular refresher courses. Staff gave clear explanations of the different types of abuse to be aware of and demonstrated that they knew the action to take in the event of any suspicion of abuse.
Risks to people’s safety were assessed and managed appropriately. Assessments identified people’s specific needs, and showed how risks could be minimised. Environmental and health and safety checks were carried out to ensure that the environment was safe and that equipment was in good working order. There were systems in place to review accidents and incidents and make any relevant improvements.
Checks were carried out on all staff at the service, to ensure that they were fit and suitable for their role. This included interviewing applicants and undertaking criminal record/barring checks and character references.
People said that there were enough staff available to promptly attend to their needs. Staff did not rush people and had time to give people and their family member’s individual time and support. Staffing levels were flexible and based on people’s individual needs.
Safe systems were in place for the ordering, storage, administration, recording and disposal of medicines.
The hospice provided a relaxed, comfortable, clean and attractive environment. This included facilities for families to relax in during the day and to stay overnight. There was a quiet reflective area in the chapel and well maintained gardens for people to spend time in.
People said that staff had the skills and knowledge to support them. They said that staff always explained what they were going to do, and sought their consent, before supporting them with their care needs. New staff received a comprehensive induction, which included training in areas necessary to their roles and also completed a wide variety of additional specialist training to make sure that they had the right knowledge and skills to meet people’s needs effectively.
People said that the quality of the food provided was “excellent”. They were offered a variety of choices, which took into consideration people’s dietary, health and individual needs and preferences. The chef and catering staff provided specific items requested by people, and in preparing and presenting food in an attractive way.
CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. The registered manager and staff showed that they understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The service had not needed to make an application under DoLS to ensure that people were not deprived of their liberty unnecessarily.
Everyone commented on the kind, compassionate and caring manner of the staff team. People said that they were always treated with dignity and respect, and were encouraged to continue to do tasks that they were able to do and be involved in making day to day decisions.
The hospice had a holistic approach to caring for people at the end stages of life, and for providing expert care and advice to people needing symptom management, or other support with life limiting illnesses. They supported the person to continue relationships with their family, to support their spiritual needs, achieve end of life wishes and offered complementary therapies. People’s families were supported by the caring nature of the staff team, and in addition by support groups and bereavement counselling if they wished.
People’s needs were thoroughly assessed before they were offered services at the hospice and once a referral had been made. The staff team ensured that care and support was offered in a timely way, and services were offered flexibly depending on peoples needs. People’s care plans were personalised and contained detailed information about their preferences and advanced decisions in relation to end of life care.
People said that they were involved in planning their care and treatment and were confident that staff explained everything to them clearly. Care plans were stored electronically and were reviewed and updated on a daily basis.
The service viewed complaints as a way to learn and to improve the service. People knew how to make a complaint and the service was effective in responding to any complaint or concern that was raised.
The registered manager and senior staff were available and provided reliable and helpful support for people, relatives and staff. Staff understood the ethos and values of the service and how to put these into practice. Staff were motivated and said that there was good team working and communication, which enabled them to give good care to people who used the service.
There were systems in place to review all aspects of the service and assess if the hospice provided quality care for the people who used it. The service was proactive in education, research and local community projects to improve end of life care and care for people with life limiting illnesses and their families. Feedback from people who used the service was sought and acted upon.
We observed that staff assessed each patient's needs and those of their families, and that care was provided to meet these individual needs. One relative told us they felt their whole family was well supported by the hospice team. Another person told us 'it's brilliant. It's got me back to where I want to be'.
Managers and staff at the hospice had taken steps to ensure that people's views were sought and acted upon, including those of patients, relatives and staff.
The hospice ensured that patients were treated as individuals and that their privacy and dignity were respected. People told us they felt 'well cared for' and 'safe' at the hospice.
One person using the service told us, ‘They give me choices and if they don’t, they tell me what they are doing. They don’t just wade in’. The person went on say that they did not think that all the staff understood their condition but they all understood what care they needed.
Another person who we spoke to said, I’m very happy being here, it is the best place for me at the moment’. The person went on to tell us that the staff had held a surprise birthday party for their son who visited daily. This pleased her and gave her happiness.