- Hospice service
Demelza, Hospice Care for Children - SE London
Report from 29 January 2024 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 19 February to 9 April 2024. Demelza, Hospice Care for Children - SE London (known as Demelza SEL) provides comprehensive services for children and young people from birth to 18 years old with life-limiting conditions and their families. They provided short residential breaks for children for respite care and end-of-life care. Additional services provided support for the families of the children. Each child is allocated a nurse or healthcare assistant for their stay who would set up a comprehensive care plan. Each child has their own room with either a bed or cot as required. The rooms have an attached bathroom, a call bell, and cameras for child safety. Families can stay, if they wish, on the first floor, although a bed can be put in the child's room if needed. The provider ensured children and young people were safe. Staff were able to explain how they would identify and respond to child abuse. They handle medicines effectively and ensure that all staff recruited are qualified to care for children. The building is safe and well-maintained, providing a secure environment for the children. Staff received training on the principles of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005 (MCA). Staff respected people's rights and made choices in the best interests of children and young people. Demelza SEL has effective management arrangements to monitor and maintain the service's ongoing quality. The provider stays current on paediatric palliative care developments, ensuring the service is always at the forefront of best practices. We assessed 5 quality statements from the key questions and found good and outstanding practice. The scores for these areas have been combined with scores based on the key question ratings from the last inspection. The assessment indicated areas of outstanding practice like the last inspection, but our overall rating remains good.
People's experience of this service
Staff protected children from foreseeable risks. They assessed the risks children were subject to because of their health conditions and implemented plans to manage them. Families we spoke with were positive about the knowledge and competence of staff. Children's care records included symptom management plans, which staff had drawn up with specialists, and they would provide ongoing support during end-of-life care. The service had suitable facilities to meet the needs of service users. They included bereavement suites, family accommodation, a lounge, a music and sensory room, an art room, a quiet room for families, a kitchenette/living area, a training room, a laundry room and an outdoor play area, amongst others. The building had several artworks appeal to a range of children, including those with sensory needs. There was a number of play spaces, including a garden with equipment, including a swing, roundabout and climbing frame. Activity rooms indoors included an art room, a music room, and a sensory room, which offered children a safe and colourful environment to play in for therapy and relaxation. The therapeutic space has a variety of equipment to stimulate and develop a person's senses through special lighting, music, and objects. All parents were overwhelmingly positive about the support provided to them following the loss of their child. Their feedback, such as one parent saying, 'Being in the room, having a coffee morning with mums in similar circumstances is extremely valuable', is a testament to the compassionate and supportive environment created by Demelza SEL.