South Lanarkshire’s hospice has been accredited as providing the very highest levels of patient care.
In a new report by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, people’s experience of care and the involvement of carers and families at Kilbryde Hospice received the very highest ‘Exceptional’ accolades.
Leadership of improvement and change was also classed as exceptional.
This followed a two-day unannounced inspection at the East Kilbride-based facility in July this year.
The hospice was awarded two grades of ‘Exceptional’ and a further ‘Good’ rating for the safe delivery of care.
Positive feedback was also received on each additional area of inspection.
The rating by the independent regulator of hospice care in Scotland, comes at a time when Kilbryde Hospice is now reaching out to more patients than ever across the South Lanarkshire area who are all facing the impact of life-limiting illnesses.
Hospice CEO, Gordon McHugh, said: "I am delighted that the incredible hard work of our staff and volunteers has been recognised by Health Improvement Scotland (HIS), and that they have rated our care as ‘Exceptional’.
"Every day, we dedicate ourselves to supporting the individual needs of our patients and their families. We are immensely proud that this has been formally acknowledged and I’d like to thank our fantastic team for their hard work and dedication.”
Jackie Sharpe experienced the hospice’s outstanding care first hand while her husband Richard was being looked after at Kilbryde.
She said: “Kilbryde Hospice is beyond words. They became our family, and they helped us through the hardest, most traumatic time in our life.
"They shared with us the happiest, most fun and most precious times. They showed us how to live through it and Richard and I truly lived our life together for those precious seven weeks.
"They gave my lovely husband Richard, the ability to die in dignity and at peace, knowing that I was being supported and looked after as much as he was.”
Margaret Mary Cowan, clinical services director at the hospice, said that the rating reflected the person-centred care offered.
“From the facilities staff to the Board of Trustees, everyone here is focussed on providing the very best for our patients and families.
"Hospice care is not just about someone’s final days, it is about living life to the full and giving people the opportunity to live well with their illness. That extends to the whole family too, as we are here to support everyone throughout their journey.
"To have our care rated as ‘Exceptional’ by HIS simply reflects the love and dedication that we all put into our work."
Gordon McHugh stressed that the hospice only provide this exceptional level of care with the generous support of the local community.
Due to the current economic climate, management are under extreme pressure to raise the £3.8 million they need to run hospice services.
At the height of the COVID pandemic in June 2020 the East Kilbride News launched a front page bid to save its local hospice from closure.
The News reported how the future of the £4m palliative care centre was in doubt after it revealed losses of £300,000 since the start of the coronavirus lockdown.
Through the newspaper's award-winning ‘Save the Hospice’ campaign, Kilbryde was inundated with inventive fundraising events and ideas – from a male hospice nurse wearing high heels to do his essential shop to a five-year-old running 100 lengths of her garden – helping to raise thousands of pounds for the cause and saving the facility from closure.
Gordon added: “Our local community has been nothing short of amazing and we hope they will continue to support us in any way that they ca and only if they can afford to do so, to enable us to continue to be there for our patients and their families across South Lanarkshire.
"As Scotland’s newest hospice we will always strive to improve, because with an ageing population and the pressures being experienced within the NHS, the need for hospice care both within the hospice building itself and in people’s own homes will only continue to rise.
"We are here for one reason only, to provide the best possible care during the hardest of times."
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