A RUNCORN care home has achieved the highest standard for its palliative care.

St Luke’s Nursing Home has been re-accredited with the prestigious Gold Standards Framework (GSF) in Care Homes Quality Hallmark Award in recognition of the high quality care they provide to people nearing the end of life.

This systematic, evidence-based approach helps to ensure that care home residents approaching their final days receive the care they want where they want it.

Staff at the Palacefields Avenue home were supported in their training by the advance care planning team at Willowbook Hospice.

Care staff worked tirelessly to achieve re-accreditation by maintaining systems and procedures to ensure every resident receives the best possible end of life care in line with their individual needs.

The programme is reducing the number of inappropriate hospital admissions, increasing the numbers of residents dying in their preferred place, their care home, whilst delivering significant savings to the NHS at the same time.

Staff received their award at the Bi-Annual GSFCH Award Ceremony in London on September 30.

Their achievement was recognised at The End of Life Care Forum at Willowbrook-The Living Well in St Helens on October 13.

Neil Wright, chief executive of Willowbrook Hospice said: “I’d like to congratulate the staff in achieving re-accreditation of the Gold Standard Framework.

“The development of the GSF and its use within care homes has helped to establish a nationally recognised standard for end of life care and helps demonstrates that services such as care homes are delivering person-centred care.”