Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital

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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

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.

We found the service delivered an exceptionally high standard of compassionate, person-centred care, with patients and families consistently praising staff for their kindness, empathy and willingness to go above and beyond. Staff treated people with dignity and respect, responded promptly to individual needs, and provided emotional as well as practical support, particularly in end-of-life care. Care was inclusive and tailored to personal needs, and patients felt safe, listened to and well supported. While staff demonstrated pride and commitment to their roles, workforce pressures and wellbeing challenges were present, highlighting the need for continued focus on staff support to sustain this high standard of care.

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

We have not awarded this service a score for Caring.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Caring.

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

Patients we spoke with had nothing but praise for the staff looking after them. Comments from patients included ‘nothing was too much trouble’, ‘I have not laughed so much in ages’ and ‘they are so good to me and come and ask me how I am feeling all the time’. We observed positive interactions between staff and patients; staff took the time to introduce themselves and listen to the patients.

A recurring theme in feedback from patients and families included staff taking extra steps delivering equipment personally, rearranging scans and reviews promptly, staying responsive to calls and emails, and providing exceptional emotional support. Families repeatedly used language like ‘above and beyond’, ‘superstar’, and ‘angel’.

Medical care (including older peoples care) used the NHS friends and family test to get feedback from patients. Comments included “Exceptional care and service from all nursing and support staff, all those that still show kindness and compassion after a grueling 12-hour shift” and “Dr X is a wonderful physician and always looks after my mother, despite all her complex health problems, incredibly well and with great patience and skill.

The latest Adult Inpatient Survey (2024, published September 2025) showed improving patient experience, particularly in respect, dignity and involvement in care, but continued challenges in waiting times and discharge support. Results were reported at trust level only, meaning QEQM Margate does not have separate published scores and reflects the overall performance of East Kent Hospitals. Overall, the findings suggest some positive progress in patient experience alongside ongoing areas for improvement, consistent with the trust’s broader performance position.

Staff attitudes and behaviours when interacting with patients showed that they were discreet, respectful and responsive, providing patients with help, emotional support and advice at the time they needed it. Volunteers supported staff to develop meaningful relationships with patients. On several wards volunteers spent time talking to patients, supported them to eat and drink and spent time with them reading, completing puzzles or crosswords. One patient told us the staff had taken the time to wash her hair using a special bowl that fitted on the end of the bed, she felt this was going ‘above and beyond’ and was so happy it had been done.

Physical tokens of appreciation chocolates, biscuits, sweets, cakes, plants, hampers, flowers, and thank you cards were widespread across the department. These gifts came from grateful patients, families, and even staff completing rotations.

Sandwich Bay Ward developed 5 dedicated patient rooms for people receiving end‑of‑life care, and staff undertook palliative care training while building strong links with the local hospices. They provided exceptional, compassionate care to patients and offered sensitive, practical support to families throughout their stay. Each room carried its own theme Sunflower, Seashell, Woodland, Beach, and Bluebell and staff decorated them to create calm, comforting spaces. The ward also created a relatives’ room with refreshments and a quiet area for reflection, and relatives had access to the Beresford Suite, a self‑contained flat away from the ward where they could sleep and rest. Staff enhanced their skills further by completing a 3 day advanced communication course and shadowing both the hospice team and the hospital end‑of‑life team as part of their additional training. In addition, a memory tree honoured the names of patients who had died on the ward, offering families a meaningful place to remember their loved ones.

Staff supported patients to understand and manage their care, treatment or condition. A patient told us that the doctors were ‘fantastic and explained everything that was going to happen to me’.

Staff directed patients to other services when appropriate and, if required, supported them to access those services.

Patients said staff treated them well. Almost without exception patients told us staff were kind and caring. Patients told us that the nurses and carers worked so hard and were always busy. Other patients said, ‘I love the staff on my ward; I cannot fault them’.

Staff understood the individual needs of patients, including their personal, cultural, social and religious needs. For example, a patient who was a Jehovah’s Witness was helped to have virtual meetings with members of their community as that was very important to them. Another patient who had a hearing impairment told staff wrote down their questions so they could understand and answer them. Staff were described as caring and always smiling.

Staff said they could raise concerns about disrespectful, discriminatory or abusive behaviour or attitudes towards patients without fear of the consequences.

Staff maintained the confidentiality of information about patients. Records were electronic and all computer terminals were locked when not in use. Only staff with the relevant permissions could access confidential patient records. Handover sheets and ward patient allocation boards used the patient initials and date of birth to prevent confidential information being disclosed by accident.

Many compliments acknowledged all staff groups: nurses, doctors, HCAs, cleaners, catering teams, and reception staff. Comments often described the entire ward as cohesive, welcoming, and high‑performing, with several referencing “the best care in the hospital.”

We did not look at Treating people as individuals during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.

We did not look at Independence, choice and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.

The evidence showed an exceptional standard. The service was exceptional in how they 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.

Staff were aware of and dealt with any specific risk issues, such as falls or pressure ulcers and care planned for these accordingly. Patients with mobility issues and those with a high risk of developing pressure damage were cared for on pressure relieving mattresses and re-positioned regularly. When unavoidable skin damage happened specialist tissue viability nurses supported the team to provide specialist care.

We observed that patients were supported to maintain their personal care and call bells were answered quickly. Staff and volunteers supported patients to eat and drink regularly during the day. The patient’s privacy and dignity were always prioritised. When giving personal care privacy curtains were always drawn around the bed space.

Comments often noted that patients felt safe on the wards. This sense of safety stemmed from consistency, attentiveness, and the visible teamwork of staff. Cleanliness and good food choices were also highlighted as contributing to a positive, safe environment.

One patient we met told us they were in pain. We alerted the staff on duty, and they came immediately and gave them pain killers. We checked later in the day, and they told us they were very comfortable and appreciated how quickly staff responded.

Staff identified and responded to changing risks to patients. Records showed that staff assessed and re-assessed patient risks using nationally recognised risk tools. We checked 10 records across the wards at the assessment and found them to have been completed fully.

Patients and families consistently described staff as kind, reassuring, caring, friendly, and human, with several comments explicitly mentioning that staff made extremely difficult times more bearable. Emotional support cups of tea, taking time to talk, offering comfort was routinely recognised. End‑of‑life care in particular generated heartfelt gratitude.

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

Staff told us they felt respected, valued and supported in their jobs and spoke positively about working in the service. Many said they were proud to be part of their team.

The 2024 NHS Staff Survey received 6,220 responses at East Kent Hospitals, giving a 63% response rate. Staff consistently reported experiences that fell below the averages of similar trusts, particularly in morale, recognition, workload pressures and learning and development. Although teamwork and autonomy remained relative strengths, fewer than half of staff recommended the organisation as a place to work, and many reported high levels of burnout, discrimination and difficulty raising concerns. Overall, the survey showed a committed workforce operating under sustained pressure, highlighting the need for focused cultural and wellbeing improvements.

Staff originated from many different countries, and wards held events to help everyone get to know each other better. For example, 1 ward organised a meeting where people brought in food from their countries of origin and exchanged dishes with colleagues.

Staff felt positive and proud about working for the service and their team. Across all wards staff shared examples of the wellbeing provision. There were planned wellbeing events, and some staff were wellbeing ambassadors. Team building events included social outings, a raffle and afternoon tea. The hospital also provided a prayer room for staff to use while at work.

Managers ensured that staff had access to regular team meetings. Most teams met every 4 to 6 weeks. Records showed that these meetings were used to celebrate success, grow as a team, learn from each other and improve the quality of care provided to patients. Some wards produced newsletters to share information with their teams.

Staff had access to support for their own physical and emotional health needs through an occupational health service. Staff always had access to confidential support services available, and managers could refer staff to occupational health for additional help when needed. The wellbeing team reached out proactively to colleagues and staff could also contact them directly for support. Further advice and signposting were available through the organisation’s staff website or by emailing the human resources service desk.

The service’s staff sickness and absence were like the average for the trust. On average staff sickness and absence were 6% in the last 12 months.

The provider recognised staff success within the service –for example, through staff awards. The matron monthly forum gave staff a platform to share views and influence change. Team learning days focused on learning from incidents and recurring themes. The senior band 5 registered nurse development programme provided structured support for senior band 5 nurses’ development. Staff celebrations and positive feedback recognised individual and team achievements.

Staff appraisals included discussions about career development and the support available to help staff progress in their roles. Records showed that, on average, 80% of staff had received an appraisal in the previous 12 months. Compliance among non-medical staff was higher at 93%. Leaders had identified areas with lower appraisal compliance and had implemented action plans to support improvement.