People using the service told us that staff were "very nice" and "very helpful". They said that staff had got to know them well. The service had established links with a wide range of religious clergy who could visit and help care for people. Food appropriate to people's religious or cultural background was available. Staff had ready access to interpreters if they needed them.

Before people arrived the service asked for relevant medical and personal information from the service making the referral, including details about their medical history and how to contact family and friends. When they arrived staff would undertake a full assessment to ascertain their needs and preferences, including psychological and emotional needs, as well as their medical needs such as pain relief requirements. The people using the service that we spoke with praised the quality of the care they were receiving.

On the day of the inspection most areas of the service appeared clean and tidy. People using the service described it as "spotless" and "good".

Appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work. There was a complaints policy and procedure in place which featured details about how to make a complaint and how it would be investigated and responded to.

We spoke to one person using the service who told us that he and his family discussed his care and treatment options with staff. In recent patient feedback people using the service reported that they discussed their care and treatment options with staff. Staff told us that they discussed people's options with them and there were notes of people's preferences in their medical files.

Appropriate medical and personal information was taken from people to ensure that the service could care and treat them appropriately. Risk assessments were conducted to ensure they were safe when using the service. Staff had been trained in how to deal with medical emergencies and medical equipment and drugs were available. People using the service praised the quality of the care and treatment provided in recent feedback. They described the service as "excellent", "perfect" and "of the highest level".

Medicines were stored securely on the ward. Accurate records were kept of what medications had been used, who they had been given to and when.

There were appropriate numbers of staff on each shift to meet the needs of people using the service. All staff received annual mandatory training in providing care, treatment and support, as well as specialist training in providing palliative care.

Accurate records were kept of people's needs and what care, treatment and support had been provided. These records were kept securely on the ward.

We spoke with a small number of people who use the service. At the time of the inspection six people were receiving care, and only a small number of people were well enough to talk with us.

People we spoke with indicated that they were comfortable at the Pembridge Unit and staff were looking after them. People said that staff were helpful and they received the care and attention they needed. People said that staff were good at keeping their family up to date. We were told that the care and attention they received was ‘beyond good’.