'Exemplary' children's hospice given top rating

Staff at Acorn's Birmingham site treated children and families with warmth and kindness, a regulator said

A children's hospice has maintained a top rating of outstanding for its "exemplary" standard of care after an inspection by a regulator.

During the visit in July, Acorns Children's Hospice in Birmingham was found to have an "exceptional level of care" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The watchdog said children were treated with warmth and kindness by staff and placed at the centre of everything, with their families fully supported.

Amanda Lyndon, CQC deputy director of operations in Birmingham, said: "Other care services should look at this report to see what they can learn."

Acorns Children's Hospice Trust, which also has sites in Walsall and Worcester, provides services including day care, end-of-life care and after-death care for families.

Ms Lyndon said staff at the Birmingham site, on Oak Tree Lane, Selly Oak, involved people and families in decisions concerning their care, while "strong leadership" continuously developed and strengthened the service.

The hospice had an "open culture", she added, where people felt comfortable raising concerns, which were thoroughly investigated.

The CQC director cited an example of staff going "above and beyond" when a Makaton choir was organised for the funeral of a child who had communicated through the language programme.

Staff also went the extra mile to help families create lasting memories of their children, she added.

'Warmth and kindness'

"We were pleased to visit Acorns Children's Hospice in Birmingham and find they had maintained an exceptional level of care," she said.

"They put children and young people at the centre of everything they did to provide exemplary treatment and support, making a difficult time easier for the whole family."

"People told us they were delighted with the service and that lovely staff treated them with warmth and kindness. We also heard how much families appreciated staff extending support to the whole family to support them as part of their loved one's care."

The service maintained a safety rating of good as a result of the inspection, following the previous CQC visit in 2016.