Hospice praised for outstanding care

A hospice in Bath has been awarded the Care Quality Commission’s highest overall rating for the quality of care it provides: outstanding.

Following a regulatory inspection in June, Dorothy House was judged to be outstanding under the categories of ‘caring,’ ‘responsive,’ and ‘well-led.’ Its performance was judged as good under the categories of safety and effectiveness.

However the commission also highlighted that their procedures for administering medicines needed to improve. Specifically, they broke the rules by using socalled ‘patient group directions’ in a way that infringed the legal requirements.

Patient group directions (PGDS) provide a legal framework to allow some registered health professionals to give specified medicines to a group of patients en-masse, without each one of them having to see a pharmacist individually.

Immediately after the inspection, Dorothy House suspended use of PGDS and began a review of their processes and protocols.

“I am delighted to learn that Dorothy House has retained its ‘Outstanding’ rating by the Care Quality Commission,” said Stephen Taylor, the chair of trustees.

“To be placed in the top three per cent of healthcare providers, particularly after more than two years of a pandemic, is a remarkable achievement. I am so pleased for the hard-working staff and volunteers at the hospice.”

The unannounced visit from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) took place on Tuesday June 9, 2022 and the CQC’S report and rating describes its judgement of the quality of care provided by Dorothy House.

The CQC stated in their report that:

“People received outstanding care from highly motivated staff who developed exceptionally positive, caring and compassionate relationships with them,” and “the Hospices’ services were delivered flexibly, by a responsive and passionate multidisciplinary team, providing choice and continuity of care for patients, their families and carers.”

The report is based on a combination of what CQC found when they inspected, information from their ongoing monitoring of Dorothy House services and information provided by the Hospice, patients, the public and other organisations.

“Everyone at Dorothy House is thrilled about our continued ‘Outstanding’ rating by the Care Quality Commission,” said Wayne de Leeuw, the chief executive.

“Last year we cared for 10 per cent more people than previous year and we are expanding our care following a services review in 2020. It’s an exciting time as we continue to explore new ways of providing care with and in our community.”

I am so pleased for the hard-working staff and volunteers at the hospice

Steven Taylor