On 13 August, 2025, Oakhaven Hospice underwent an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The report has now been released, rating Oakhaven as ‘Good’ overall across five categories, with Oakhaven’s ‘exceptional’ care commended with a rating of ‘Outstanding’.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is an independent regulator in England that inspects and rates providers to ensure that high-quality, safe, and compassionate care is delivered. A new Single Access Framework has been introduced, which resulted in Oakhaven Hospice receiving a comprehensive inspection in line with acute hospitals rather than health and social care, as was the case for their previous inspection in 2017.

Andrew Ryde, Chief Executive of Oakhaven, commented: “We are delighted with this excellent rating and would like to express our sincere gratitude to our dedicated staff and volunteers for their commitment, exceptional teamwork, and positive outlook. These attributes were instrumental in achieving this outcome. We are particularly proud to have received an ‘Outstanding’ rating for our compassionate care, as well as outstanding marks within the categories of ‘Effective’ and ‘Responsive.’"

Melville Kendal, Oakhaven’s Chair of Trustees, said: “Outstanding care comes from the people who provide it. On behalf of all the Trustees, I would like to thank our wonderful family of staff and volunteers for their unwavering support and hard work. In particular, many thanks to the team who managed the CQC inspection, which involved the meticulous collation of numerous evidence pieces to highlight the exceptional things that our wonderful team does every day. We are very proud of the whole Oakhaven team and of the highly positive rating provided by the CQC inspection.”

The CQC report highlights people's experience of Oakhaven Hospice, and states: “Feedback from patients and any family or carers were overwhelmingly positive. Patients commented about the staff treating them with kindness and dignity and providing effective care and treatment. Patients and family or carers said that communication with the hospice was very good. People did not experience discrimination or inequality. The service made reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities and communication difficulties.”

The CQC inspection reports on five domains: Caring, Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well Led.

In the ‘Caring’ category, the CQC report states: “The service was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity.” “The service was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.”

In the ‘Safe’ category, the CQC report highlights: “The service had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.”

In the ‘Responsive’ category, the CQC report comments on person-centred care: “The service was exceptional at making sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.”

In the ‘Well Led’ category, the CQC report states: “The service had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation.”

In the ‘Effective’ category, the CQC report outlines: “The service always worked well across teams and services to support people. They shared thorough assessments of people’s needs when they moved between difference services, so people only needed to tell their story once.”

Oakhaven Hospice provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care and support to patients with a clinical referral who live in the New Forest, Totton and Waterside communities. Currently, the hospice supports over 450 patients at any time, at the 10-bed Inpatient Unit and Day Hospice in Lymington and in patients’ homes.

Hospice services include an inpatient unit, community services, medical team, day hospice, therapy, complementary therapy, patient and family support (including counselling) and single point of access service. Two volunteer-based services provide additional support: ‘Neighbours’ in the community and ‘bedside companions’ in the inpatient unit.

Oakhaven’s hospice services are provided free of charge, yet the government covers just 11% of its annual running costs, which currently total £9 million. For the remaining 89% the hospice relies on the generosity of the community - on donations, gifts in wills, fundraising and income generated by our shops and social enterprise home care provider Oakhaven Care.

>> Read the CQC Report