The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has upgraded the overall rating for Lewis-Manning Hospice Care in Poole, Dorset, from good to outstanding following an inspection in April.
Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, run by an organisation of the same name, provides palliative care with specialist services and end of life care in the community to people, families and carers across Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset.
CQC carried out this inspection as part of its routine monitoring of services.
CQC has upgraded the ratings for caring and responsive from good to outstanding and has re-rated safe, effective and well-led as good.
Catherine Campbell, CQC deputy director of hospitals, secondary and specialist care in the south west, said:
“When we visited Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, we found an inclusive culture where leaders and staff truly valued people as individuals.
“Staff told us they focused on meeting people where they are and we saw how this translated into compassionate, person-centred care. When someone expressed anxiety about attending clinical settings due to concerns about cleanliness, staff worked with them to develop a plan to overcome this, including cleaning equipment and surfaces in their presence to provide reassurance. This enabled them to feel safe attending the clinic and meant they could access the treatment they needed.
“Feedback from people, their families and other professionals was overwhelmingly positive. One person said when they walked into Lewis-Manning they felt like they were wrapped in a cloud of warmth and happiness. People spoke highly of the improvement in their symptoms since attending the hospice and described how treatment was enabling them to live well with their health conditions.
“Inspectors were impressed by how responsive the service was to changes in people’s needs. In one example, staff noticed someone attending the lymphoedema clinic was experiencing discomfort while undressing and they used this as an opportunity to discuss their pain levels and current medicines with them. As a result, staff adapted their treatment plan.
“This responsiveness extended to leaders actively involving people in the design of services. For example, staff consulted people who had taken part in a breathlessness support group and used their feedback to ensure there was time for sharing personal experiences in future sessions. This co-design approach treated people as partners in their treatment and meant leaders could tailor support to better meet their needs.
“Everyone at Lewis-Manning should be proud of the positive findings in this report and other hospice services can look to this report as an example of outstanding practice.”
Inspectors found:
- The hospice offered people choices in how and where they received support. For example, they selected clinic locations to suit people who relied on public transport. This ensured care was accessible and tailored to each person’s circumstances.
- Leaders provided training so staff felt confident having sensitive conversations with people about their future care, including end of life decisions. This meant people could make choices that reflected their own values and wishes.
- Staff worked well with external professionals and people reported positive experiences of joined-up care. One relative said the hospice had helped them navigate the care system to support their loved one’s wish to die at home.
- Leaders had embedded an approach that promoted people’s independence and helped them regain control over their daily lives. One person said they could dress themselves and wear tights again, which was important for their dignity and motivated them to go out and socialise.
- The hospice offered people a structured health and wellbeing programme that included sessions on palliative care, nutrition, sleep and exercise. These sessions were available to anyone attending the hospice for treatment and supported people to live healthier lives.