South Lanarkshire’s Hospice has been accredited as providing the very highest levels of patients’ experience of care in a new report by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

People’s experience of care and the involvement of carers and families, as well as the leadership of improvement and change at the Hospice, received the very highest ‘Exceptional’ accolades following a two-day unannounced inspection in July this year.

The hospice was awarded two grades of ‘Exceptional’ and a further ‘Good’ rating for the third domain category that they assessed and scored, which was the safe delivery of care.

The inspectors also assessed a further three domain categories and we received positive feedback on each area.

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 incredibly 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.”

Margaret Mary Cowan, Clinical Services Director at the hospice, said the rating reflected the person-centred care offered.

“From the facilities staff to the Board of Trustees, everyone here focus’ 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.”

Jackie Sharpe has experienced the Hospice’s outstanding care first hand while her husband Richard was being looked after at Kilbryde.

“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 week,” she said.

“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.”

Gordon McHugh added: “We are here for one reason only, to provide the best possible care during the hardest of times. As Scotland’s newest Hospice we will always strive to improve because with an aging 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 can only provide this exceptional level of care with the generous support of the local community. Due to the current economic climate, we are under extreme pressure to raise the £3.8 million we need to run our services. The local community has been nothing short of amazing and we hope they will continue to support us in any way that they can 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.”