Picture by Chris Bull for St Catherine’s Hospice

St Catherine’s Hospice has been highly praised for offering compassionate, professional and personalised care to people with life shortening illnesses.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) re-awarded the Lostock Hall hospice a ‘good’ grade for being safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

St Catherine’s Hospice is a local charity and provides a broad range of services which help people in the community affected by serious illness, providing them with quality of life and dignity in death.

The CQC report described St Catherine’s as having a ‘caring, professional and calm atmosphere’ with ‘highly motivated’ staff who ‘love their work’.

The inspectors said: “We saw evidence that end-of-life care was provided with sensitivity, dignity, respect and compassion.

“We observed this to be the case and were also told by people both in the hospice, and who received care at home, that staff showed them kindness and understanding.

“Bereavement support was in place for families and friends and regular remembrance services were held at the hospice.”

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One relative of a patient spoke to the inspectors about the staff: “They’re very comforting, so kind and caring. They’re like angels, they’ve been brilliant with us.”

The hospice’s unique advanced care planning document – known as the one-page profile – was also given credit which gives patients the opportunity to outline their care preferences and personal wishes.

The service received a large number of compliments, with a total of 129 being received in the 12-month period prior to the inspection.

Chief executive of St Catherine’s Hospice, Stephen Greenhalgh, responded: “St Catherine’s is much-loved, well-respected local charity and we work hard to be here for people when it matters most.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to everyone who helps make St Catherine’s such a special team and a special place .”

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