North London Hospice

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Although, incident reporting was robust, ensuring that all incidents are thoroughly reviewed and that lessons learned are systematically shared across the organization can help prevent recurrence and improve overall safety. On the whole, leaders operated effective governance processes throughout the service. Staff at all levels were clear about their roles and accountabilities, ensuring a well-structured and cohesive operation. There were regular opportunities for staff to meet, discuss, and learn from the performance of the service, fostering an environment of continuous improvement. Staff felt respected, supported, and valued, which contributed to a positive work culture. They remained focused on the needs of patients receiving care, demonstrating a strong commitment to patient-centered care. The service promoted equality and diversity in daily work, providing opportunities for career development and supporting an inclusive workplace. Leaders and teams used systems to manage performance effectively. The service collected reliable data and analysed it, enabling staff to find the data they needed in easily accessible formats. This facilitated informed decision-making and allowed for targeted improvements in service delivery. The service demonstrated clear and effective governance, management, and accountability arrangements. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities, and managers could account for the actions, behaviours, and performance of their teams. The systems in place to manage current and future performance and risks took a proportionate approach, allowing new and innovative ideas to be tested within the service. Data or notifications were consistently submitted to external organisations as required, ensuring compliance and transparency. There were robust arrangements for the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of data, records, and data management systems. Information was used effectively to monitor and improve the quality of care.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Shared direction and culture during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

We did not look at Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

We did not look at Freedom to speak up during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

We did not look at Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

Staff reported having a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They felt that this clarity helped them perform their duties effectively and ensured accountability throughout the hospice. Staff were well-informed about statutory and regulatory requirements relevant to their roles. Regular updates and training sessions ensured they remained compliant with current regulations. They had regular opportunities for team meetings and discussions on service performance. They felt this helped maintain high standards of care and supported continuous improvement. Staff appreciated the strategic workforce planning that ensured adequate staffing levels and skill mix. This planning supported a balanced workload and high-quality patient care. Opportunities for career development and progression were valued by staff, contributing to job satisfaction and retention. Staff received timely updates on external recommendations and safety alerts. They felt that this ensured they were aware of best practices and any critical updates affecting patient care. Staff received training on data protection and cyber security, which they found essential for understanding how to handle sensitive information securely. This training ensured compliance with the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) requirements. They reported that the hospice had good data security systems in place. They felt confident that patient data was protected and managed in compliance with data protection regulations. Staff participated in regular emergency preparedness drills and felt confident in their ability to respond to various emergency scenarios, including climate-related events. They appreciated the proactive approach to emergency planning.

The hospice had efficient processes that included scheduled audits and reviews to ensure compliance with policies and identify areas for improvement. They had systems for gathering and acting on feedback from staff, patients, and families to foster a culture of continuous improvement. It ensured regular compliance checks to ensure adherence to statutory and regulatory requirements. Leaders developed and maintained detailed and up-to-date emergency response plans, including specific protocols for climate events. They implemented strategic workforce planning to ensure adequate staffing levels and skill mix. The service adopted sustainability initiatives to ensure long-term viability, including environmental, financial, and workforce considerations. The hospice provided orientation programmes for new staff and ongoing training sessions to ensure everyone understood their roles and responsibilities. Clear and detailed job descriptions outlined specific duties and expectations for each role, and regular performance appraisals helped clarify roles, set expectations, and provide feedback. A quality assurance framework was in place to monitor, evaluate, and enhance service performance. Regular audits and reviews ensured compliance with policies and identified areas for improvement. The hospice used secure IT systems and provided data protection training for all staff to safeguard against breaches. Emergency preparedness was supported through regular simulations, ensuring staff were prepared for various scenarios. The hospice also implemented systems to promptly receive and act on safety alerts and external recommendations, ensuring continuous alignment with best practices and safety standards.

We did not look at Partnerships and communities during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.

We did not look at Learning, improvement and innovation during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Well-led.