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.

This year, Andy and Jacob will continue their pursuit of fundraising for the service which helped Andrea before her death.

Speaking to the YEP, Andy said they hoped to raise £100,000 in 2022.

"We are hoping to do a challenge at the end of May in Belgium and France and hopefully Kilimanjaro in October, making him the youngest boy in the UK to summit the mountain", Andy said.

A nurse and doctor came to the couple's home and spoke to Andrea about her end of life plans.

She hoped to pass away in the hospice but was taken ill two weeks before Christmas and deteriorated in the hospital.

"They thought she was too poorly to be moved", Andy explained.

"The hospice and my employers worked together on a Sunday to get her home and get all the community care she needed in place.

"She came home on the 20th of December and passed away on the 27th.

"We wouldn’t have had that last Christmas together if it wasn’t for the hospice."

Andy said the hospice's support doesn't end after death.

"The hospice provided me with a social worker when Andrea was alive and counselling after her death", he continued.

"They liaise with Jacobs school to support them with his mental health and over a year after her death still invite Jacob to events with other bereaved children.

"He’s going on a nature outdoor day with them this month during half term."

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