Praise has been heaped on hospice staff for going “above and beyond” to meet the needs of their end-of-life patients.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated ellenor, which is based in Northfleet, as “outstanding” overall following an assessment of its adult hospice services.
Inspectors from the healthcare watchdog said it was “outstanding” in the caring and responsive categories and “good” for being safe, effective and well-led.
During the visit in December, the hospice, in Coldharbour Road, was providing inpatient care for up to eight patients alongside its home services and care home support for adults.
The report, published last month, stated that staff treated patients with kindness, compassion and dignity, and respected their privacy.
It added: “They went out of their way to ensure that people’s needs were met at the end of life, went above and beyond what would have been expected to meet individual needs and wishes.”
Inspectors also said that staff were visible, supportive, dedicated to improvement, and “exceeded people’s expectations” in terms of the care and support they received.
The CQC also commended ellenor for its focus on inclusion and cultural understanding and its work to reduce health inequalities and reach underrepresented communities.
Director of care and quality at the charity, Mary Kirk, said: “We are thrilled to receive this outstanding rating and it truly belongs to our whole ellenor family – our staff, volunteers, patients and our local community.
“Every day, we see the difference this care makes to people’s lives here in Kent.
“This recognition reflects the love, dedication and commitment that everyone puts into supporting families when they need it most.”
ellenor is a specialist palliative care provider for adults and children in Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley, and children only across the London Borough of Bexley.
Alongside its hospice services for adults, ellenor provides clinical nursing support to children and young people in the community with life-limiting illnesses.
The charity also opened a new, £5 million wellbeing centre in November, which allowed them to host more and a greater variety of sessions for their clients.
It offers services such as bereavement support, falls prevention, seated exercise, gardening, yoga, arts and crafts and help with managing breathlessness.
