A Lancashire hospice has been praised for providing ‘exceptional care and treatment’ to its patients.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated Pendleside Hospice in Burnley as ‘outstanding’ in four out of five areas following an inspection in October. 

The hospice cares for more than 1,700 people a year and provides specialist palliative care to people over 18, and in exceptional circumstances people who are aged 17 or 18.

The report said: “Staff provided exceptional care and treatment, ensured and actively supported patients to have enough to eat and drink.

"Staff effectively managed pain relief when they needed it.

"Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. 

“Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good information. Key services were available seven days a week. 

“Staff exceeded expectations in treating patients and carers with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions.

"They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers to minimise their distress.

“Leaders ran services professionally and extremely well using reliable information systems. They proactively encouraged and supported staff to develop their skills.

"Staff understood the service’s vision and values, and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. 

“They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities.

"The service went to extra lengths to engage well with patients and the community to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.”

Staff were said to treat patients and relatives with ‘compassion and kindness’. 

The report said: “There was a strong, visible person-centred culture that was promoted by service leaders. 

“Staff were highly motivated and inspired to offer care that was kind and promoted people’s dignity.

"Feedback from patients and those who are close to them was continually positive about the way staff treat people.

“Feedback was consistently very positive from people using the service with comments that ‘staff and doctors were excellent’. People also reported that staff ‘introduced themselves’ and ‘listened to their loved one’s wishes’.”

Inspectors spoke to relatives at the hospice who said Staff went ‘out their way’ to assist patients.

The report said: “Staff provided emotional support to patients, families and carers to minimise their distress.

"They understood patients' personal, cultural and religious needs. Staff gave patients and those close to them help, emotional support and advice when they needed it. 

“The hospice had a range of additional support for patients and their loved ones including talking therapies and a bereavement service. 

“Feedback reviewed showed 100 per cent of family and people accessing psychological support clients were very Satisfied with the service. 

“We were told by one relative the whole family had been supported and offered bereavement support even though not all family members lived close by. 

“Staff were said to have ‘gone out of their way’ to find out of area support for those relatives. The hospice had a chaplaincy service and could access different faith groups when required.”

The hospice has also 'gone the extra mile' to proactively engage and understand the local area Black and Minority Ethnic groups (BAME).

The report adds: "This had resulted in an increased understanding of what the service could offer and increased volunteer diversity.

"The service demonstrated that it went above and beyond to look at how to reach everyone that would benefit from the service and improve their outcomes and end of life experience."