Dedicated team recognised for its quality care
A team dedicated to supporting people with cancer and their families has been recognised for its quality care.
The Hummingbird Centre is celebrating after it “exceeded” the standard required to retain the Macmillan Quality Environment Mark (MQEM).
The assessment report praised the Oxfordshire centre's welcoming atmosphere, its commitment to continuous improvement and the dedication of its staff and volunteers.
The MQEM – is the equivalent of a CQC or Ofsted inspection but for cancer environments - rigorously assessed the centre against four core standards, scoring from one to five.
Organisations must reach level four to either attain or retain the award - this year the Oxfordshire-based centre achieved its highest mark ever - level five, exceeding expectations.
The report said: “Overall, The Hummingbird Centre provides a safe, welcoming and highly supportive environment that clearly reflects the dedication of its staff and volunteer workforce. The Centre continues to demonstrate many examples of good practice and has successfully created an environment that promotes comfort, privacy, dignity and wellbeing for people affected by cancer.”
Mechelle Harris, The Hummingbird Centre Founder and CEO, said: “We are absolutely delighted to achieve our new rating, which is the highest we have ever achieved for this award.
“We all work so hard to make this cancer support centre a beacon for anyone with cancer and their families, from across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, who need our care and support. Having received this recognition confirms to us all that what we are doing is right.
Centre Manager Zoe Draper added: “This award really could not have been achieved without the magnificent team we have here at The Hummingbird Centre. That includes every single person among our wonderful volunteers, the Board of Trustees, the Therapists and professionals who run our well-being sessions and of course the wonderful community who continue to support us year- in, year- out. We just could not do it without every single one of them.”
Karen Lewis, Senior Quality and Risk Specialist, said: “I have been assessing the Hummingbird since 2017 when they first achieved the MQEM award. The centre offers a safe space for clients to seek help and support. At each assessment the centre has shown a willingness to improve and have implemented recommendations no matter how small to ensure the client journey is the best that it can be.
“The staff and volunteers have the ability to really look at the environment and seek alternative solutions so they can provide ongoing support for their clients in this ever-changing healthcare landscape.”
Since its previous assessment in 2023, the Centre has made several improvements, including creating more private spaces for counselling, redecorating its buildings, increasing storage and improving signage. Parking provision has also increased to 20 spaces, while the garden and courtyard have been revitalised to give guests more inviting outdoor spaces to enjoy.
The report highlighted opportunities to build on this progress by formalising existing processes, strengthening feedback and data collection, and planning for the centre's longer-term accommodation needs as demand for its services grows.
The Hummingbird Centre provides a wide range of free support for people affected by cancer and their families, ranging from counselling, complementary therapies, children's support, a men's support group as well as an array of Well-Being Classes like Tai Chi, Mindfulness/Meditation, Line Dancing, Sound Bath, Stretch and Flow all of which are free to attend.
It first received the MQEM award in 2017 and is reassessed every three years.
To find out more about supporting The Hummingbird Centre view the website: https://thehummingbirdcentre.org.uk/ or call 01869 244244.
About The Hummingbird
The Hummingbird Centre opened its doors in 2014 after a promise Hummingbird founder Mechelle Harris made to her late father Raymond Hurcombe to create something good out of their loss as a family.
So far, The Hummingbird Centre has supported thousands of people and has become very much part of the community. It relies 100 per cent on donations and volunteers to enable it to operate and every penny raised goes back into the centre.
The centre run a dedicated children’s service, counselling, complimentary therapies and activities to support guests.
The Hummingbird Centre is open from Tuesday to Friday, from 10am to 4pm, supporting people with cancer and their families, across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, their message is - if people can get to the centre they will be supported.
For more information view https://thehummingbirdcentre.org.uk/
About the MQEM
Launched in January 2010, MQEM was the first ever standard for assessing whether cancer facilities meet the holistic needs of people living with cancer. MQEM aims to set the highest possible standards for cancer care environments, driving forward the design and use of these facilities, based on a robust understanding of the needs of people affected by cancer.