- SERVICE PROVIDER
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust
This is an organisation that runs the health and social care services we inspect
We served a S29A warning notice on Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust on 28 July 2026 because we had concerns about the trust’s governance systems, the management of identified risk and the processes for learning from incidents and complaints. In addition, Infection prevention and control (IPC) arrangements were not consistently implemented, monitored or embedded in practice. This followed a well-led assessment of the trust.
Assessment report published 11 August 2026
Contents
Ratings - Community end of life care
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 5 and 6 May 2026
We assessed Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLAG) on 5 and 6 May 2026.
The assessment was undertaken due to the length of time since the previous inspection and as part of a well-led assessment of the Trust.
At this comprehensive assessment, we assessed one assessment service group (ASG); Community End of Life Services and reviewed all quality statements.
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLAG) and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH) form the Humber Health Partnership and work closely together across 5 main hospitals
- Diana Princess of Wales Hospital
- Scunthorpe General Hospital
- Goole and District Hospital
- Hull Royal Infirmary
- Castle Hill Hospital
The assessment team comprised of 2 CQC inspectors, 1 Specialist Advisor and 1 CQC Pharmacy Specialist. This was a short-notice announced inspection, meaning the service was informed in advance.
As part of the assessment, we reviewed care and treatment records, observed care during home visits, attended multidisciplinary team (MDT) referral meetings, nursing handovers and spoke with staff about the care and treatment people received.
Community end of life services are provided by NLAG on behalf of the Humber Health Partnership and are delivered in partnership with the third-sector organisations and other healthcare partners
We assessed the following services:
- Community Nursing
- Macmillan Specialist Palliative Care Team
This report presents our findings from the assessment based on the evidence gathered at the time.
We rated the service as good.
Overall, we found a positive safety culture where incidents were investigated, learning was shared and improvements were embedded into practice. Staff provided safe care and treatment, and robust systems were in place to identify, monitor and manage risks. Infection prevention and control arrangements were effective, and care environments were safe and well maintained.
People received care from staff who were professional, kind, caring and compassionate. People and their relatives consistently described staff as caring and spoke positively about the quality of support they received.
Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience required to carry out their roles effectively. Care and treatment were delivered in line with current evidence-based guidance and people were treated with dignity and respect. Staff worked collaboratively to ensure people could access the care, support and treatment they needed.
Governance arrangements were effective and reflected a culture of continuous quality improvement across the service.
The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly. People were protected and kept safe. Staff understood and managed risks. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained and any risks mitigated. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Managers made sure staff received training and regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care. Staff managed medicines well and involved people in planning any changes. Staff used recognised assessment tools to identify and respond to clinical risks.
People were protected from avoidable harm through effective safeguarding arrangements, comprehensive risk assessments and multidisciplinary working. People told us they felt safe and well supported. Staff worked effectively with people, carers and partner organisations to ensure care remained safe.
People were involved in assessments of their needs and were actively involved in decisions about their care. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. Care was based on latest evidence and good practice. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving services. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff worked with family members, friends, and others significant to the person to make best-interest decisions when the person was unable to make decisions for themselves.
People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected people’s privacy and dignity and took account of their individual needs, preferences and circumstances. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and treatment. The service supported staff wellbeing. Staff supported people to maintain their independence and make choices about their care. Staff also described a supportive working environment, which helped them deliver compassionate, person-centred care.
People were involved in decisions about their care. Staff provided information in a way people could understand and adapted communication to meet individual needs. People knew how to give feedback and were confident the service took it seriously and acted on it. The service was accessible and worked to ensure people received fair and equitable care. The service worked to reduce health and care inequalities through training and feedback. People were involved in planning their care and understood options around choosing to withdraw or not receive care.
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. Managers worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas. There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas. The service worked collaboratively with partner organisations and supported a culture of learning, inclusion and continuous improvement.
People's experience of this service
People’s experience
During our assessment, we spoke with 9 people and carers, all of whom told us they felt supported and cared for. Feedback about people’s experiences of care was consistently positive. People described staff as kind, caring and compassionate. They told us staff were “supportive”, that, “nothing is too much trouble” and they “cannot thank them enough for all they do”. People felt staff treated them with dignity and respect and were responsive to their needs.
Staff encouraged people and carers to provide feedback about the service they received. The service collected and shared compliments and had received 49 formal compliments between January 2025 to April 2026.
Carers told us:
“[Staff] I can’t explain how much this helps me to get through our terrible situation”.
“I can’t thank them enough. Nothing is too much trouble”.
“I only have to pick up the phone and they are here. I really appreciate you”
People told us staff responded promptly when they needed help or support. Records we reviewed demonstrated people’s needs were assessed in a timely way and care and treatment were delivered in line with those assessments.