Good –––
Is the service caring?
Our findings
People said they had good relationships with staff who
took time with them, understood their needs and
preferences, treated them with respect and ensured their
dignity. One person told us about how impressed they were
with staff practices that had supported them with may
aspect of the care without making them feel embarrassed.
This person said, “Staff just did it without making a fuss and
for this I am so thankful to them as they did not make me
feel uncomfortable at all. They just did it with such
understanding and treated me like a human being.” All staff
spoke positively about spending time with people and their
family members having time to listen to people and
respond to their wishes and not to be rushed. A staff
member said, “We like to talk to patients to find out what
makes them special. The best thing is being with the
person and asking them about their journey.”
We saw staff were respectful and made sure people’s
dignity was promoted whilst they provided support and
care to people who used the service and their family
members. For example, when one person needed staff to
assist them staff came without any delay and were caring
in their approach as they gave the person time so that they
could express their wishes. We also saw when one person
died staff showed respect and dignity for this person. The
hospice included its own mortuary with three spaces to
provide care and support for family members and friends at
the time of a person’s death. Staff told us when the funeral
directors came to collect the person they or another staff
member who had cared for the person, would come to the
mortuary and stay with the person until they had gone with
the funeral directors. There was a discreet entrance for the
funeral directors to ensure sensitivity and respect was
maintained.
The staff were suitably experienced and skilled to identify
when people required end of life care. We saw that people
received their end of life care in private at the hospice.
People’s families could
stay with them during this time and the staff offered family
support. One staff member said, “It is important to look
after relatives and to try and understand their needs.” One
person told us, “My son visits and he is made welcome. We
are able to talk in private and they (staff) all respect this.”
We saw this happened on the day of our inspection.
9 St Giles Hospice - Walsall Inspection report 21/12/2015
People received their end of life care in accordance with
their care preferences. One staff member told us, “We offer
holistic, individualised end of life care”. This was reflected in
the different care and support people told us they received.
People’s plans were followed and showed their personal
preferences and choices. One staff member said, “It is really
important people’s choices are written down and we are
always led by the person when we do this so they have the
care they want.” Another staff member gave us examples of
how they helped people to express their wishes and
feelings. They told us how they had supported a person
who wrote letters to their family members to read at
different times in their lives, such, birthdays in the event of
their death.
Staff we spoke with told us they helped people to ensure
their feelings of pain were managed and controlled so that
people were as comfortable as they could be. One staff
member said, “If a patient needs pain control it is done
immediately, they do not have to wait.” One person said,
“They re ally help me with any pain I feel which is of a great
relief to me.”
People who used the service said they were always
consulted about their care and treatment and their views
were respected and acted on. Staff told us and we saw
people’s care records reflected this. Systems and guidance
were also in place for staff to follow for the protection,
handling and processing of personal confidential
information relating to people’s care. Staff recognised and
understood these.
People’s emotional and spiritual needs were shown in their
care records which were reviewed with each person whilst
they stayed at the hospice. One person told us, “I am
always asked about every aspect; what I say is taken
seriously, in a respectful and sympathetic manner.”
We saw people and their family members could access a
range of support services across the hospice and
community setting to suit people’s preferences and needs.
For example, art and complementary therapist support and
bereavement support. People were able to access a
chaplain so that they could gain spiritual and bereavement
care and support. One person told us they knew they could
see a chaplain if they wished whilst they stayed at the
hospice but did not want to at this time.