The state of hospice services in England 2014 to 2017 presents findings from our programme of comprehensive inspections.
In England there are just over 200 rated services caring for people in hospices and the community with terminal and life-limiting conditions, and their families. They also offer bereavement support.
What we did
Between October 2014 and January 2017, we inspected hospice services in England using clear standards of care and ratings. Together these allow services to understand their responsibilities and help members of the public to easily see the level of care being offered by a provider
This report presents our findings.
What we found
Hospice care across England has the highest percentage of health and social care services that are rated outstanding (25%), and a further 70% are rated good.
Our inspectors found that hospice leaders and frontline staff displayed a strong commitment to providing truly person-centred, compassionate care and support to people using their services, and their loved ones. They also developed strong relationships with other services in the area.
However, there is more to be done to make sure that everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, can access high-quality end of life care. Hospice services rated as outstanding were striving to overcome such inequalities and share their expertise to drive better care in other services.