IRHH nursing service rated 'excellent' by health watchdog
The quality of the specialist nursing service provided by IRHH has been rated 'excellent' following a recent inspection by the independent regulator of health and social care in England, the Care Quality Commission.
The "excellent" IRHH Nurses
The health watchdog officially awarded IRHH its top three-star rating in early June, after carrying out a random inspection of the service on 22 nd April 2010. The commission commented that the nursing charity "continues to provide excellent care" to patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses in the Chilterns region of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. It made no requirements or recommendations for improvements.
 Sue Varvel, IRHH Director of Nursing and Clinical Services |
Sue Varvel, said: "Everyone at IRHH is delighted to receive this confirmation that we are giving our patients the best possible care. Our mission is to provide excellent palliative care and support in patients' own homes, round the clock every day of the year. Demands for our service continue to grow and we are now caring for around 1,000 patients a year, as well as supporting their carers and relatives. This three-star rating shows that, while our service grows, our nurses continue to maintain the highest standards of patient care. I congratulate them all."
Under the heading "What the agency does well", the commission commented that IRHH "continues to provide a comprehensive specialist palliative care nursing service to people in the community with terminal illnesses".
It noted that IRHH has systems in place to monitor the quality of its service through consultation with the people who use it and their carers. A service user group ensures all info rmation leaflets are clear and accurate and translators are available to assist nurses when needed.
The health watchdog also looked at all aspects of nurse recruitment, training, support and management. It spoke to a number of nurses, who described the support they received from senior managers as "excellent".
The commission said IRHH has a "robust" recruitment procedure which complies with current regulations to ensure that only staff who are suitable to work with vulnerable people are appointed. IRHH also provides training opportunities to support its staff in their personal and professional development, the watchdog noted.
Four IRHH adult nursing teams and the Pepper children's nursing team provide specialist nursing care free of charge in patients' own homes, 24 hours a day throughout the year. IRHH also offers support services to relatives and carers and complementary therapies such as reflexology and aromatherapy.
The full report from the Care Quality Commission can be read by clicking here.
15th June 2010
