KEMP Hospice

Updated 20 September 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection visit took place on 15 June 2016 and was announced. One inspector carried out this inspection.

The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a hospice at home care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in.

We looked at the information we held about the service and the provider including statutory notifications. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us.

We sought information about the quality of service from the local authority and the clinical commissioning group. In addition to this we received information from Healthwatch who are an independent consumer champion who promote the views and experiences of people who use health and social care. We used this information to help us plan this inspection.

We were unable to talk with the two people who were currently provided with a service as we needed to be mindful and respectful of the fact the service was provided to people who were very near the end of their lives. With this in mind we used a number of methods to gain people’s views and experiences of the service they received which included talking with people’s relatives. We spoke with the representative of one person who was receiving a service and five relatives of people who had been provided with a service before they died.

We also spoke with the manager and two staff. We looked at the forms used to record the individual details and support needs of two people, staff recruitment files and quality assurance arrangements. We also looked at the information about the quality of the service people received from the provider’s compliments and surveys. The manager also sent us some further information.

Updated 20 September 2016

This inspection took place on 15 June 2016 and was announced.

The provider for Kemp Hospice provides personal care to older people with life threatening and life limiting conditions at the later stages of their lives who live in their own homes in the Wyre Forest and surrounding area. The provider also provides a day hospice service within the same building as the home care service. This service is not regulated by the Care Quality Commission [CQC]. At the time of our inspection two people were using the hospice at home service.

There was a manager who was also known as the head of care and was currently applying to become the registered manager at the time of our inspection. 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.

Potential risks to people and staff were assessed with preventative measures put in place. This was done in consultation with people and health professionals who were already involved in providing care to people who live in their own homes. Staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns to keep people safe from harm. People who needed staff assistance to take their medicines were supported by staff who had received training to do this safely.

Staffing resources were managed with care to make sure people received the support at the right time and in the right way for them. Arrangements were in place to ensure potential new staff were only recruited once essential background checks had been completed to show they were suitable to provide care to people who lived in their own homes. Staff had the knowledge, skills and experience required to meet people’s individual end of life care needs effectively and were actively supported with on-going updates to meet people’s specialist needs. The manager provided staff with supervision and support including gaining feedback from people who used the service around staff member's practices in delivering the care people required to promote best practice.

People were at the heart of the service as staff worked closely with other professionals to promote people’s wellbeing and enable people’s wishes to die at home to be fulfilled. Staff saw themselves as part of the community palliative care team which supported people in receiving a seamless service at the end of their lives. People were actively involved in deciding upon their choices and preferences which were detailed in their advance care plans so people received effective care and support as they wished. Relatives told us the care and support they received provided them and their relatives with the opportunity to realise their wish to receive their end of life care at home.

Staff promoted people’s wellbeing by working in close partnership with health professionals so where required they could effectively respond to people’s eating and drinking needs. Staff shared information when they had supported people with district nurses to make sure people’s changing needs, symptom and pain management was responded to.

Staff showed they cared about people they supported and felt privileged to be part of people’s lives at such an important time. Relatives consistently felt staff were there for them and showed kindness when they required comfort as well as their family members. Staff were proud of their caring roles and treated people respectfully and promoted their dignity. The provider sought people’s opinions on the quality of the service and encouraged people to raise any concerns or suggestions.

The leadership team showed they were committed to continual focus upon improvements to make sure the services offered reflected the needs of people who lived in the local community. A five year action plan was in place which showed the areas for improvements and what had been achieved to enrich the end of life care people received.