Sue Ryder hospice rating upgraded after review

A Leeds hospice has had its Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating upgraded following a formal review.

After concerns were raised about Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice in Headingley, inspectors from the regulator visited in March and May and rated the facility inadequate.

Following an appeal by the hospice of its score, the CQC said a further visit was carried out in July and its overall rating was upgraded to requires improvement.

The hospice chief executive, James Sanderson, said the "initial, incorrect rating" had "caused distress to the patients we care for, their families, our clinical teams, the healthcare professionals we work alongside, our supporters and volunteers too".

The hospice on Grove Road provides inpatient and community palliative care services for people with life-limiting conditions, and those who are approaching the end of their lives.

The CQC said when it carried out its "focused inspection" in July, the rating for safety had improved from inadequate to requires improvement while caring was re-rated as requires improvement.

It said a formal review then took place of the ratings given in the March/May report, which was carried out by a member of staff who was not involved in the initial inspection.

The spokesperson said this led to the rating for effective being changed from inadequate to requires improvement.

They added: "This has resulted in the overall rating improving from inadequate to requires improvement."

Sanderson: "The amended rating reflects what we had identified and were actively addressing, following our own quality reviews and safety controls, before the CQC inspection took place."

He said while the hospice was "pleased" with the outcome of the rating review, it recognised "further improvements" were needed and were "already underway".

He added: "I want to thank our supporters for continuing to believe in us throughout this period, which has been really appreciated by our teams at the hospice.

"I also want to thank our clinical teams for the huge amount of professionalism and dedication they have shown throughout this difficult time."

A CQC spokesperson said: "As with all inspection reports, Sue Ryder, who runs the hospice had an opportunity to request a review of its ratings.

"This involves CQC checking whether we followed our processes when scoring an assessment and reaching a rating."

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