The Hospice of the Good Shepherd has been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following a recent inspection

Inspectors visited the Chester hospice in March and upgraded its overall rating from requires improvement to outstanding.

The hospice, which supports adults aged 18 and over living with incurable illnesses, as well as their families, has 10 inpatient beds and also provides a range of day services through its dedicated wellbeing centre.

The inspection formed part of the CQC's routine monitoring programme.

At its previous inspection in August 2024, the hospice was found to be in breach of regulations relating to safe care and treatment. Inspectors said those issues had now been addressed and the service was no longer in breach.

The hospice's well-led rating improved from requires improvement to outstanding, while safe and responsive both rose to good. Effective and caring were also upgraded from good to outstanding.

Gill Hodgson-Reilly, CQC deputy director of hospitals for the North West, said inspectors found the Hospice of the Good Shepherd was committed to providing exceptional care during some of the most difficult times in people's lives.

She said: "At The Hospice of the Good Shepherd we found a service committed to providing exceptional care during some of the most difficult times of people's lives.

"People were extremely positive about the care and support they received and described staff as being respectful, supportive and delivered care in a safe and confidential way. It was clear they had listened and acted on the findings from our last inspection.

"This positive feedback was reflected in a survey which showed 100% of people's overall experience was rated as outstanding or good. The hospice had also received 298 compliments which demonstrated that kindness and compassion was embedded in its culture."

Inspectors also praised the hospice's bereavement support, with patients describing counsellors as "an asset" who had "changed their life for the better".

The report highlighted the hospice's strong leadership, with managers maintaining a visible presence and offering staff support through debrief sessions after challenging events. Staff wellbeing was also prioritised through activities designed to reduce stress and build a sense of community, contributing to low sickness absence and staff turnover.

Inspectors found the hospice gathered comprehensive information before admitting patients to ensure care could be tailored to individual needs. Staff were also praised for taking time to get to know patients and their families so they could communicate in the most effective way.

The CQC also recognised the hospice's work with a homelessness project, providing outreach counsellors to improve access to palliative and end-of-life care for people experiencing homelessness.

Gill Hodgson-Reilly added: "Staff and leaders at The Hospice of the Good Shepherd should be proud of the many positive findings in our report, which highlight their exceptional and important care and support."

A spokesperson for the hospice said: "It's an honour to be recognised in this way and we're so proud of our whole team for their hard work, ensuring our care is exceptional for those who need us

"We hope our supporters will share the pleasure and pride that the hospice feels as a result of this wonderful achievement."

The full CQC inspection report is available on the Care Quality Commission website here.