North Devon Hospice

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

We did not look at this key question during this assessment. The score below is based on the previous rating for this key question.

This service scored 78 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Learning culture during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

Patients and their families we spoke with confirmed they saw the same people for their care and they were reliable, knowledgeable and caring. The views of people who used the service, partners and staff are listened to and taken into account. This was evident in the re-design of the inpatient unit.

The service worked well with partners such as the local trust, GP’s, the ICB and district nursing teams. For example, there were daily capacity meetings which included representation from both the provider and the hospital palliative care service. This meeting discussed new referrals, out of hours messages, discharges and deaths as well as requests for admissions to the in-patient unit. There was also a weekly Multidisciplinary Team Meeting which looked at complex community cases in more detail and discussed care plans for patients.

The service managed safety well. The inpatient unit used a tool that measured the acuity of its service users to ensure that the unit was adequately staffed and only admitted patients when it was safe to do so.

We did not look at Safeguarding during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Involving people to manage risks during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

Staff and patients and family members we spoke with said they were able to obtain appropriate equipment for patients both at home and in the in-patient setting. The service had recently purchased a 'cuddle bed' which staff said were fantastic for when family members such as husbands and children wished to spend time being close to their loved ones. These were normal size beds which could extend to accommodate an additional person. Staff members said that this was really important for the emotional well-being of their patients.

The design of the environment followed national guidance for safety. The in-patient unit had been recently refurbished and was designed with input from both patient and staff groups and provided an outstanding environment for its service users. It had all the necessary clinical equipment but the rooms were designed so that this did not impact on the feel of the room which was comfortable and calming. All equipment we checked for safety was appropriately tested and within the timescale for the next checks. The majority of the in-patient rooms had balconies overlooking the garden which provided the service users and their friends and family with the opportunity to get some fresh air.

We did not look at Safe and effective staffing during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Infection prevention and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

Medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Patients and family members said they were involved with their treatment plans and were kept informed about any changes in medication.

The service had clear processes for medicine management. Oxygen cylinders were stored safely.

There were regular audits and monitoring of clinical incidents.