- NHS hospital
King's Mill Hospital
Assessment report published 23 October 2026
Contents
Ratings - End of life care
Our view of the service
End of life care services are located at the King’s Mill Hospital (KMH) and Newark Community Hospital. Both hospitals are part of Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We last inspected end of life care services at King's Mill Hospital in 2018. End of life care was rated as good overall. Due to this aged rating, we did an inspection on the 27 and 28 May 2026. At this inspection the rating has remained good.
KMH supports emergency admissions for end of life care patients through the emergency department (ED), as well as planned patient admissions to medical wards.
During the inspection we visited ED, critical care, the stroke unit, ward 22, the emergency assessment unit (EAU), the mortuary viewing room, the bereavement centre, the multi-faith centre, ward 35 and ward 36.
We attended 3 nursing huddles, one multidisciplinary meeting, 1 nursing handover, and 1 board round (a board round is where members of the multidisciplinary team reviewed each patient's progress, identified outstanding actions and discussed any barriers to discharge). We spoke with a range of staff including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, health care assistants, porters, bereavement office staff, end of life care champions, porters and a chaplain. We spoke with 4 patients and 1 relative. We reviewed 9 patient records and 13 Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation orders (DNACPR).
The service had systems to maintain patient safety, safeguarding, staffing, and multidisciplinary working. Care plans were up to date, personalised and responsive to individual needs, resulting in positive outcomes for patients and those important to them. Staff consistently delivered exceptionally compassionate, dignified and respectful care, building trusting relationships and supporting patients' physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Patients were involved in decisions about their care, had access to clear information, and felt confident that feedback was welcomed and acted upon. Leadership promoted an open, inclusive and supportive culture, with effective oversight through audits and quality checks.
However, an area for improvement was identified as one patient had not received a mental capacity assessment in line with legislation.
People's experience of this service
Patients, their families, and care givers were positive about the care and treatment they received at King’s Mill Hospital. They told us they were listened to, and that staff were approachable, supportive, and excellent. Patients felt communication was exceptional and that they were informed of their care options and treatment plans. They felt staff were visible on the wards, and they saw medical staff daily and told us their needs were met.
Patients told us they felt safe and knew how to raise concerns and make complaints. Apologies were offered when care and treatment was not in accordance with hospital policy.
Staff shared many examples of personalised care to ensure patients had full control and choice at the end of their life. We heard about how staff went the extra mile to allow patients, families and loved ones to have the most positive experience possible.
Where patients were being discharged home, a recently implemented discharge process allowed staff to provide a more effective service to make the process smoother for patients and loved ones. Staff followed processes which meant patients at the end of life were fast tracked for discharge. This meant more patients were able to achieve their preferred place of death.