- NHS hospital
Grantham and District Hospital
Assessment report published 23 July 2026
Contents
Ratings - End of life care
Our view of the service
We carried out a comprehensive inspection on 17 and 18 March 2026. The inspection was undertaken due to the length of time since the previous inspection of the service, which had been carried out using our previous inspection methodology. At this inspection, we assessed all quality statements in all key questions under our Single Assessment Framework (SAF). We rated this service good overall.
The onsite inspection team included an inspector, and a specialist advisor with expertise in palliative and end of life care. We spoke with 18 staff, 5 patients, 6 relatives, reviewed 9 patient records and 8 ’Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation’ (DNACPR) orders.
We interviewed a range of staff including chaplains, mortuary staff, allied health professionals, nurses and ward managers.
We also observed staff care and treatment and reviewed the trust’s performance data.
We inspected the chemotherapy suite, Harrowby Ward, and the Hospice in a Hospital unit.
The Hospice in a Hospital unit, based on the Grantham and District Hospital site, consists of six nurse-led, community beds and provided care for patients who meet the following criteria:
- End of life
- Requiring symptom control
- Palliative rehabilitation
- Carer break down, to prevent admission to acute hospital
The unit is a collaborative approach to support patients at the end of life. Patients remain under the care of GPs but receive treatment from hospital nursing staff along with other healthcare professionals.
People's experience of this service
Patients, families and care givers provided positive feedback throughout the inspection., They told us staff treated them with warmth and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity and provided effective care and treatment.
They told us the service operated a caring and responsive service that maximised their independence and wellbeing as far as possible. They said there were enough staff, and the environment was clean, safe, warm and welcoming.
Patient feedback provided by the trust demonstrated that patients felt safe whilst receiving treatment at the service, that the staffing was appropriate, and staff responded quickly when requested. Staff communicated effectively during all stages of the surgical process from referral, preoperative assessment, surgery and postoperative care.
The service used a third party provider to provide support services to D/deaf patients, and accessible information services for those patients with dementia or other cognitive impairment.
Patients said staff worked in partnership with other teams to meet their needs and pain relief was given when needed. Patients described staff as very caring and compassionate and there were enough staff to attend to their needs.