THE CEO of Prospect Hospice praised her staff and questioned criticism from a report which noticed improvements but highlighted major problems.

Irene Watkins took on the top job at the hospice earlier this year after the previous CEO resigned and she had the tough task of turning around Prospect's prospects following a damning CQC report.

The latest in a series of visits from inspectors noted that improvements had been made to the care provided since they issued a warning notice in February 2018 but a lot of areas still needed work.

For example, the service did not always demonstrate that they have enough nursing staff with the right qualifications, skills, training and experience to keep patients safe from avoidable harm.

Irene told the Adver: "I would question that, personally, but they've seen what they've seen and it is what it is. No patient has been put at risk. The staff are professional, committed and always doing the right thing - the proof is in the feedback and thanks we get from families.

"I felt sad for the staff when the report came out. They were exasperated because they put a lot of evidence forward to the inspectors. They were very disappointed, but looking at the report we could see that the CQC recognises that there's been a serious step change here for the better.

"I don't think we pat ourselves on the back enough and we need to make sure that we evidence what we do for the CQC because they didn't see it this time but we need to make sure they do next time.

"The good news about a report like this is that it means they have to come back soon and I welcome them with open arms. Our partners there and at Great Western Hospital have been very supportive and we need to work closer with them."

The CQC's first probe followed concerns about low staffing numbers, safety incidents, low staff morale and allegations of bullying by senior staff.

Irene added: “This is only the beginning of the journey. It's a long-term solution not a quick fix and we know what we have to do. There were no surprises in the report but it takes time to get things right and we need to be consistent and methodical in what we do.

"This past year has been about not just addressing the warning notice but making the hospice fit for the future. The culture here was an issue and that had to be built back up. Change is always difficult for people and we need to help them overcome hurdles to join this change because we need to do things differently.

"We need to revamp our focus and be more dynamic. Our 40th anniversary is next year and we want to be here for another 40 years - it's been hard but we're on the front foot..

“Swindon is a fantastic community. I’ve been on a bit of a learning curve with the local area but I found their commitment to the hospice and the community support is second-to-none

"I came in to support the then-CEO last year and was so overwhelmed by the absolutely awesome staff that I applied to be CEO.

“We’ve got a huge skillset of staff and we need to make use of that as well as teach more advanced skills that staff need. It’s not just about palliative care, though that is our specialism and must always retain our focus on it."

In addition, the report found that staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and took account of their individual needs.

Irene added: "Well, that's a great recommendation."