Sheffield hospice receives outstanding rating

Sheffield’s only hospice St Luke’s has received the highest possible rating from inspectors.

Inspectors from the CQC – the independent regulator of health and social care services – looked at every aspect of St Luke’s activity and rated its leadership, effectiveness and responsiveness as all outstanding.

Safety and caring were both rated good, leading to an overall rating of outstanding.

The report found that ‘people received exceptional care,’ that ‘St Luke’s Hospice was continually striving for excellence’ and ‘the hospice was extremely forward thinking.’

Inspectors added that ‘people, relatives and healthcare professionals consistently praised the exceptional standards of care, treatment and support provided by hospice staff.’

St Luke’s cares for around !,600 patients a year at its premises on Little Common Lane, Whirlow, while a further 1,500 are helped by its community nurses in their own homes.

St Luke’s chief executive Peter Hartland said: “We are delighted that the inspectors rated St Luke’s as outstanding.

“So far, fewer than two per cent of all organisations inspected across the country have received such a rating, so this is excellent news for the dedicated team at St Luke’s and for healthcare in Sheffield.

“The report makes much of the great teamwork here at St Luke’s, the employees and volunteers who come together to deliver, run and fund these services – we thank everyone for their efforts and dedication.

“Whilst we’re delighted that the inspectors saw an outstanding service when they visited, every day brings real challenges.

“Our ethos is to put patients and families first and try to ensure that each one has an outstanding experience in the most difficult of circumstances.

“As a charity, none of this would be possible without the support of people in Sheffield who continue to provide most of the funding for this vital work through donations, buying goods in our shops and in so many other ways – on behalf of those we help, thank you.”

Judith Park, St Luke’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Patient Care, said: “This report makes much of the innovative new practices we’ve introduced at St Luke’s and all the teams involved deserve the utmost credit for going the extra mile to make change happen.

“We now care for more patients than ever before, many more at home, and the report makes it clear that patients and families truly appreciate this.”

Alex Pettifer, chair of the St Luke’s Board of Trustees, added: “This report shows the impact of ten years’ hard work by the leadership team, employees and volunteers at St Luke’s – supported by the Board – and we’re very proud that Sheffield has a wonderful hospice, dedicated to caring for people at their time of need.

“We hope that those who help support and fund St Luke’s will continue to do so, so that more people with wider needs can be helped as they approach the end of their lives.”