Marie Curie Hospice Community Services South West Region

Our rating of this location stayed the same. We rated it as good because:

The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them. Staff collected safety information and used it to improve the service

Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients, advised them on how to keep as healthy as they could, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good information. Key services were available seven days a week.

Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness and always respected their privacy and dignity. Staff recognised and respected individual needs. Staff helped patients and their families to understand their conditions. There was a strong, visible person-centred culture and staff provided emotional support to patients, families and carers in every way they could. Patients emotional and social needs were highly valued by staff and embedded in their care and treatment. The service considered itself as caring for the patient and those close to them and created systems to support care in this way.

The service planned and provided care in a way that met the needs of local people and the communities served. It also worked with others in the wider system and local organisations to plan care.

Leaders ran services well and strived to motivate staff to succeed in enhancing their skills and improving care they delivered. The service had invested in information systems to improve the standard of care provided to patients. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. Staff were proud to work for the service, and their team. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities. The service engaged well with patients, staff and the community to plan and manage services.

However:

All staff we spoke with were unsure of how to access translation services and documentation around whether a patient or carer had any communication / information needs required improvement.

The service could not be assured that all staff had read policies and standing operating procedures.