St Francis Hospice scored five out of five in a Care Quality Commission inspection.

The unannounced visit, which saw an inspector checking records and speaking to staff, patients and relatives, happened at the end of January – and last week the hospice found it had passed all five “key standards of care”.

These are: the respect and involvement of patients; their care and welfare; safeguarding people from abuse; making sure there are enough staff; and managing risks.

Director of patient care Jane Sutherland said: “Our priority at St Francis Hospice is to deliver the best care and support to patients and their relatives, and I’m delighted the latest Care Quality Commission inspection demonstrates we are achieving this.

“The staff and volunteers deserve credit for the hard work they put in each day to ensure patients and families receive first-class care.”

Chief exec Pam Court said: “While it’s fantastic to receive such a positive report for our services, it was satisfying to learn about the wonderful comments made to the inspector by patients and their families.”

Patients said the service had met or exceeded their expectations, while relatives told the inspector “nothing was too much trouble” and said they were kept well informed.

To find out more about the hospice, visit www.sfh.org.uk or call 01708 753319. To read the inspection report, visit www.cqc.org.uk/directory/1-107318660.