We’re delighted to announce that Helen & Douglas House has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), retaining the regulator’s highest rating. The CQC is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England.
Inspectors visited the hospice on Tuesday 11th November 2025 and confirmed the top overall rating. We achieved ‘outstanding’ in four out of five categories – a further improvement on our previous inspection back in 2023, reaffirming our commitment to delivering exceptional care and support to terminally ill children and their families.
Inspectors from the CQC praised Helen & Douglas House’s deeply caring culture putting children at the heart of its service, noting that, ‘Staff consistently went above and beyond to ensure care was tailored to each child’s individual needs and wishes.’
CQC Inspectors found:
- Staff consistently went above and beyond to ensure care was personalised, meaningful and tailored to each child’s individual needs.
- Children and young people said they were empowered to shape decisions about their care.
- Strong, trusting relationships were built with families, with staff going above and beyond to create meaningful moments and fulfil children’s final wishes.
- Inspectors found a supportive and engaged leadership team, who ensured the service maintained safe processes and clear accountability structures.
- Parents were overwhelming positive and described the service as invaluable. They described how it enabled them to feel like themselves again, rather than being defined solely as the parent of a child with a life-limiting condition.
Sally Hayes, Director of Nursing and Care, said:
“I’m absolutely delighted that the CQC has rated us as ‘Outstanding’ once again. This rating reflects the care, kindness and professionalism our staff and volunteers show every day. I’m incredibly proud of our teams, especially our front-line colleagues who support children and families with such care and compassion.”
David Whittingham, CEO, said:
“This is an achievement we are very proud of. It feels especially important given the incredibly challenging environment we are facing, with rising costs, a lack of fair and sustainable Government funding and growing demand for our services. And yet, thanks to the compassion, dedication and expertise of our staff and volunteers, we continue to provide outstanding care for children and families across our local communities.”
We’re extremely proud of this achievement and of everyone at Helen & Douglas House. The children and families we support are at the heart of everything we do, and this ‘Outstanding’ rating reflects that dedication.