Leeds man thanks hospice for supporting his family as service rated 'Outstanding' by CQC

St Gemma’s Hospice, in Moortown, Leeds, provides expert palliative and end of life care for people with life limiting illnesses and support for their families and carers.

The hospice has 32 inpatient beds, five of which were nurse led beds for patients without complex palliative care needs who wished to die at the hospice.

Facilities include an inpatient unit, community and specialist palliative care services, day and out-patient services.

Services include complimentary therapies and emotional, spiritual and bereavement support.

The Hospice were awarded an outstanding score in 4 out of the 5 key areas assessed: safe, caring, responsive, effective and well led.

The CQC commended the Hospice for its ‘pioneering approach to care’, for giving the ‘highest level of compassion’ and for going ‘above and beyond' in its report published on January 11.

Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions, inspectors found.

"They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers and went above and beyond what would have been expected to meet individual needs and wishes", the report stated.

Staff were proud to work at the service and felt respected, supported and valued, inspectors said.

Kerry Jackson, Chief Executive of St Gemma’s Hospice said: “The last couple of years have been incredibly challenging but we have made it through thanks to an amazing and dedicated team and incredibly generous community.

"St Gemma’s would not exist without the support and encouragement we receive from the people of Leeds and I would like to thank everyone who helps to keep the Hospice at the heart of the community.

"It is our privilege to provide expert, compassionate, palliative care to local people at a very difficult time in their lives and to be recognised as an Outstanding organisation by the CQC is a tremendous boost to everyone.”

Reacting to the award, Andy Newson said his family would never have had "their last Christmas together" without the support of St Gemma's.

Andy's wife Andrea died of breast cancer in December 2020 at the age of 49.

His seven-year-old son Jacob Newson, known as Jacob the Pilot, began his fundraising efforts back in 2019, when they climbed Pen-y-Ghent.

The following year, in 2020, Jacob and his dad walked 30 miles in two days from RAF Manston in Ramsgate to the Battle of Britain Memorial in Folkestone.

In June 2021, he completed the Three Peaks challenge, raising more than £50,000 for St Gemma’s Hospice, who cared for his his mum Andrea in her last weeks.

In August 2021, the pair also took on the challenge of climbing Ben Nevis to raise funds.