A HOSPICE has been given the highest level of praise from inspectors

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated St Barnabas House Hospice outstanding following a visit earlier this year.

The hospice in Titnore Lane, Worthing, is among only one per cent of adult social care services in the country to be awarded this standard.

Inspectors found the hospice to be outstanding for being effective, well led and responsive to people’s needs.

It was given a good rating for being safe and caring.

The CQC highlighted a number of areas of outstanding practice including people being at the heart of the service and being fully involved in the planning and review of their care treatment and support.

Relatives, patients, visitors and health care professionals shared very positive views and opinions about how people's needs were responded to.

Inspectors also said staff anticipated how people felt when planning their care and support so they felt valued and understood.

The service took a key role in the community and was actively involved in building further links.

CQC deputy chief inspector of adult social care, Deborah Ivanova, said: “We found St Barnabas House was providing an outstanding service to the people it supported and to their families, and the team there should be extremely proud of the work they do.

“We are well aware of the challenges working and running a hospice can bring and also how rewarding it is to work in such a service.

“We were struck by the extent to which the hospice places the people at the heart of everything it does.

“More than anything else, the way in which the staff team are led to think of each person as a unique individual and respond accordingly, is why this hospice has received the highest rating we can give.”

Hospice chief executive Hugh Lowson said: “This is very much a team effort and the result highlights the quality of our care, the quality of our staff and management and the quality of our organisation as a whole.

“I would like to thank all our staff and volunteers who work so hard and are dedicated to providing the very best care, both at the hospice and in patients’ own homes.”