Spire Clare Park Hospital

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• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

We assessed a total of quality statements from this key question. We have combined the scores for these areas with scores based on the rating from the last inspection, which was good. Our rating for this key question remains good. We found the service provided and maintained safe systems of care, in which safety was managed, monitored and assured. There was a positive culture of safety based on openness and honesty. Concerns about safety were listened to, safety events were investigated and lessons were learned to continually identify and embed good practices. Risks were understand and managed, and regularly reviewed to keep people safe. Care and treatment was delivered in safe environments. The service provided qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who worked together effectively to provide safe care that met patient's individual needs.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Patients felt supported to raise concerns and felt staff treated them with compassion and understanding. They felt the hospital took concerns seriously and used them to make improvements to the service.

The hospital had processes in place to identify compliments and good practice. Staff told us there was a no-blame culture at the hospital and they felt confident in reporting incidents. They viewed all unintended incidents and accidents as learning opportunities and knew raising concerns helped to proactively identify, and manage, risks before safety events happened. The hospital had policies and procedures in place, which staff followed, to ensure incidents and complaints were appropriately investigated and reported, and learning was shared with staff. Staff understood their responsibility to be open and honest with patients and their relatives when something had gone wrong. Staff at all levels said the hospital had a culture of safety and shared learning which was used to improve services and the care and treatment for patients.

The hospital had processes in place to support and embed a continuous learning culture. These were used effectively to improve patient care and quality of performance.

Patients told us the hospital managed their care well from referral to discharge and were told what to expect in terms of their recovery. Patients were clear about their next steps, including their medication and who to contact at the hospital if they had any issues.

Staff followed policies and procedures and worked together to provide safe and effective care throughout the patient’s journey. Care and support was planned and organised to ensure continuity of care for the patient. There was staff awareness of the risks to people across their care journeys and the hospital had processes in place to keep patients safe. The effectiveness of these processes was monitored and managed to keep people safe.

The hospital followed Spire Healthcare policies and procedures to ensure there were safe systems in place to plan, manage and monitor patient’s care. Staff followed hospital procedures if patients deteriorated, and if needed, had systems in place to transfer patients for medical reasons to another healthcare provider.

We did not look at Safeguarding during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

Patients told us they were well informed about potential risks and benefits to the procedure they were having. They had been given details about the surgical procedure and the post-operative recovery period. Information had been given to them both verbally and in paper format. They had been given time to ask questions about their care and treatment.

Staff explained the elective surgical pathway to us and how risk was assessed and reviewed regularly throughout the patient’s care journey. Staff completed risk assessments for patients using national recognised tools. Care plans were developed using this information to provide care and treatment and minimise risks as identified.

The hospital only admitted patients the service had the facilities and expertise to care for. Admission exceptions were only considered on the presentation of all relevant clinical evidence, a risk assessment and the mitigation of risk, and with the agreement from all parties involved in the care of the patient. The hospital followed Spire Healthcare policies and procedures to ensure patients and staff understood and managed risks, and that care met the needs of the patient in a way that was safe and supportive.

Staff told us issues affecting equipment or the premises were included in the daily team huddle so they were flagged and dealt with quickly. Staff told us they had enough suitable equipment to support them safety care for patients. Staff told us feedback from patients was positive regarding the environment with patients saying rooms were clean, comfortable and had everything they needed.

People were cared for in safe environments that were designed to meet their needs. Equipment used to deliver care and treatment was suitable for the intended purpose, stored securely and used properly. Safety checks were performed on emergency equipment according to policy. All areas of the surgery service we inspected, including the theatres and wards, were visibly clean and tidy.

The hospital followed Spire Healthcare policies and procedures to ensure facilities, equipment and technology were well-maintained and ready for use which supported staff to deliver safe and effective care.

Patients told us they felt safe and knew how to contact staff if needed. They told us staff were always around. Patient experience results from March 2023 to February 2024 showed the majority of patients (99%) felt they had really been cared for/looked after whilst at the hospital and the majority of patients had received personalised care.

Staff told us they received training appropriate and relevant to their role. They were given opportunities to learn and poor performance was managed appropriately. Staff told us they received the support they needed to deliver safe care. This included supervision, appraisal and support to develop, improve services and where needed, professional revalidation. Staff told us there were appropriate staffing levels and skill mix to make sure people received consistently safe, good quality care that met their needs. Staff used recognised patient acuity and dependency tools and national guidance to staff areas safety and to set standards.

We observed staff undertaking their duties in the operating theatres and on the wards. There was appropriate staffing levels to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.

The hospital could evidence that they had robust and safe recruitment practices to make sure all staff including consultants working under practising privileges, were suitably experienced, competent and able to carry out their role. The hospital followed Spire Healthcare policies and procedures to ensure staff were competent for their roles, received regular development meetings and annual constructive appraisals of their work to identify training needs, good and poor performance.

We did not look at Infection prevention and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Medicines optimisation during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.