Staff and volunteers from the Hospice of St Francis are riding high, after the charity passed an unannounced Government Care Quality Commission inspection.

The commission is the independent regulator of all health and social care services in England, ensuring that care provided by hospices, hospitals, care homes and even services in people’s own homes, meet Government standards of safety and quality.

The assessment, which took place last month, found that the Hospice of St Francis provides the highest standards of care and safety.

Dr Ros Taylor, Hospice director, said: “The comprehensive and systemic review of care, our processes that support care, how we make decisions and how we respond to feedback was all monitored in a thorough and rigorous exercise led by an official inspector, formerly a senior nurse in London.

“The hospice had to demonstrate it met the essential standards by complying with over 20 specific outcomes.

“The inspector spoke to 23 members of staff, at least ten volunteers and several patients and their families who gave in-depth interviews and whose answers were double checked throughout the day.“ The findings of the report highlight how the hospice involves patients in decision making, how the quality of care is maintained, how the hospice safeguards vulnerable adults and how it monitors and audits care.

The inspector found that the hospice was compliant in all areas of its report and commented: “People we spoke with during our visit overwhelmingly told us of the excellent care they received at the hospice.

“People’s feedback told us they were extremely grateful for the care they received with people referring to staff as ‘superb.’”

Dr Taylor said the report would stand the hospice in good stead for the future, but it could never allow them to become complacent.

She added: “I would like to publicly thank those who contribute to daily life at the Hospice of St Francis. What the inspector saw, felt and measured was the sum of many people working together to create an expert, excellent and safe experience of care.”

The Hospice of St Francis, based in Berkhamsted, cares for people with terminal illness in Abbots Langley, Kings Langley, Bovingdon and Chipperfield among others.