28 September 2016
During a routine inspection
There was a registered manager at the service who registered with CQC on 16/07/2013.
A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
At the time of the inspection the service was supporting 86 children and families, 15 of which were suffering a recent bereavement. The bereaved families continued to receive support from the service.
Hospice staff worked in partnership with local NHS Foundation Trusts and other services across health and social care to deliver integrated care to children and their families. Staff worked within children’s community teams to provide palliative care support and advice. Care was delivered in a variety of settings including at home, in hospitals or schools, depending on the individual needs of the families.
Children and young people who used the service were safe. Staff received safeguarding training and all staff we spoke with told us they would not hesitate to report any concerns they had to the relevant authority. Safe recruitment procedures were in place to ensure only suitable staff were employed.
Staffing levels were appropriate for the service and the service ensured it did not offer over and above what they could deliver.
Staff completed a thorough induction programme to enable them to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Palliative care and end of life training for all staff ensured children, young people and their families received compassionate and caring support. Bereavement support was available where this was identified as a need.
There were safe systems in place to manage medicines in the community. Practice was supported by robust professional guidance and policy to ensure the safe management of medicines.
There was a holistic approach to children, young people and their families, with social and spiritual needs given equal importance as the physical needs. Diverse cultural requirements were met by the service and any specific requirements following the death of a child addressed.
Where a specific need was identified in terms of dietary requirements, liaison with the relevant healthcare professionals was sought.
We saw children and young people received care and support in a personalised way. Complex medical needs were managed well by staff who were trained to deliver specialised care and support. Children and young people said they felt safe with staff. Families reported staff knew their child or young person well and were reactive to their complex needs. Parents told us on-going bereavement support allowed them to adjust to their loss and helped them come to terms with their loss, enabling them to care for their other children.
Children, young people and families had their needs fully assessed, planned for and met by the service.
The service employed a play specialists who were able to work with families and children to engage with them positively, including supporting of social activities to promote the development of relationships.
There was a clear management structure, and staff said they were proud to work for the service. Staff were fully committed to the children and families they supported. Families felt comfortable talking to managers about any concerns or ideas they had for improvements. There were systems in place to ensure the continuous improvement of the quality of the service provided.