A Brighton hospice has been rated outstanding in an official inspection report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).The CQC report said that the Sussex Beacon was good at providing safe and effective services. It was outstanding at providing caring, responsive and well-led services.
The medical care and the way that the Beacon looks after elderly patients was also said to be outstanding, earning the hospice the top grade overall.
The report was published today (Friday 23 September) after an inspection by the CQC in March.
The Sussex Beacon provides specialist support and care for people living with HIV. The charity has a 10-bed inpatient unit, in Bevendean Road, Brighton, and provides outpatient services to promote independence and improve health.
The CQC said that the Beacon was an “exceptionally well-led service with a clear vision”, the “response to individual needs was exceptional” and “staff went the extra mile to support patients to maintain independence”.
The CQC report also said that inspectors saw several areas of outstanding practice including
· the flexibility of the service and continuing adaptation of services to meet the needs of patients
· the engagement of patients and relatives in service design and planning
· the oversight by the leadership team and trustees
Sussex Beacon chief executive Simon Dowe said: “I am immensely proud of the results of this report and of the professional, caring team at the Sussex Beacon.
“The staff here are incredibly passionate about the service we provide and we’re delighted that those using our services had only positive feedback.
“We’ve always put patients at the heart of everything we do and it’s fantastic that comes across.”
The 29-page report noted that the charity was paid £600,000 for services from the public purse. It raised a further £2.2 million a year to cover the rest of its costs.
The CQC added: “Patients and health professionals spoke positively about the caring approach of staff (who) were highly motivated to offer care which was compassionate and kind.”
