Nuffield Health Warwickshire Hospital

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

We reviewed kindness, compassion and dignity; treating people as individuals, independence, choice and control; responding to peoples’ immediate needs and workforce wellbeing and enablement as part of the caring key question. We found caring remained good. Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.

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.

The results of the Nuffield Health Patient Satisfaction Survey published in June 2024 showed 95% of patients felt they were treated with respect and dignity while receiving care in hospital. Ninety nine percent of respondents were given enough privacy when discussing their condition or treatment. Staff were discreet and responsive when caring for patients. Staff took time to interact with patients and those close to them in a respectful and considerate way. Patients said staff treated them well and with kindness and were very helpful and reassuring. A patient and relative we spoke with found endoscopy staff to be kind, very knowledgeable and caring. Another patient found the care they had received when they attended for an infusion commendable.

Staff understood and respected the individual needs of each patient and showed understanding and a non-judgmental attitude when caring for or discussing patients. Consideration of people’s privacy and dignity was consistently embedded in everything that staff did, including awareness of any specific needs as these were recorded and communicated. As per the service’s ‘You said, we did’ board, patients felt embarrassed when checking in at reception to say they had an appointment in oncology or for chemotherapy. The service gave the unit a name which meant patients now checking in at reception say, ‘I have an appointment at the Milverton Suite’. Staff received dignity champion certificate of commitment from the nation dignity council. With this certificate, they pledged to uphold the 10 dignity DO’s, act as a good role model by treating other people with respect and listen to and understand the views and experience of citizens.

We observed staff knocking on doors before entering rooms and patients knew the name of the staff members who were attending to them. Staff followed policy to keep patient care and treatment confidential. We noted that doors were kept closed when patients were being attended to and that all patient records were stored securely. We observed a patient following a gastroscopy procedure. They appeared comfortable and had been offered refreshment following their fasting period.

Patients told us staff discussed treatment with them and explained changes to treatment sensitively and compassionately.

There was a strong focus on ‘patient centred care’ with a holistic assessment of patient needs. Staff understood the emotional and social impact that a person’s care, treatment or condition had on their wellbeing and on those close to them. Staff understood the anxiety associated with the procedures and supported patients as much as possible. Staff assessed patients social, psychological or religious needs at pre-operative assessment and noted on patients’ records so that any adjustments could be made ahead of admission.

Staff showed sensitivity and support to patients and those close to them. They understood the emotional impact of them attending for an endoscopy procedure. Staff told us they sometimes saw patients who appeared anxious due to the nature of their visit.

A Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy was available to patients receiving cancer treatment to improve how patients felt, including their physical health. Patients told us they felt involved in the planning of their care. They told us they had received full information about their diagnosis and treatment and the care and support which would be offered following the procedure. Staff provided written information to support the verbal information given. A patient told us; ‘despite my cancer diagnosis I am encouraged to cycle and sail when I want’. Patients told us staff clearly explained the risks and benefits of treatment to them before admission. Patients we spoke with told us they had the opportunity to ask questions about their treatment. This meant patients were involved in making shared decisions about their care and treatment.

Staff made sure patients and those close to them understood their care and treatment. Patients had the independence and control over their appointments which included the date and time of the appointments.

The service sought feedback from patients using the Friends and Family Test (FFT). The FFT gives people who use the service the opportunity to highlight both good and poor patient experience. Results published in May 2024 revealed the hospital had received an average satisfied rating of 94% which was the same as the Nuffield total average of 94%. Staff told 92% of patients who to contact if they were worried about their treatment or condition when they left the hospital. Patients told us they felt staff communicated with them well and in a way they understood. The service had a clinical psychologist and staff referred patients with anxiety or experiencing mental health issues to them. The service was responsive. For example, a patient in the oncology service told us they had been informed a blood test result was abnormal, and they were called in to have an intravenous treatment within days of the blood results. A patient who was attending the endoscopy service said there had been minimal waiting times, both from referral to attending the appointment and on the day of the procedure.

Staff reviewed patients' needs and what support they required when attending their appointment. Patients attended the hospital for chemotherapy and usually stayed as day cases for 6-8 hours. Prior to treatment, nurses from the oncology service invited patients to attend a pre-assessment appointment. Data provided by the service showed a total of 65 patients were on the endoscopy waiting list for less than 6 weeks. No patients had waited more than 6 weeks.

Rooms in the Milverton suite had ‘meet your nursing team’ patient information folders which contained helpful information and included contact details for staff such as clinical nurse specialist team. A copy of the information within the folder was emailed to patients prior to their attendance. During our assessment, we saw information leaflets for diarrhoea, heartburn, polyps in the bowel and general post procedure information displayed on the wall on the endoscopy unit. A refreshment station which included water, biscuits and coffee was available on the endoscopy unit for patients to have following their procedures.

The service employed 2 clinical nurse specialists who provided specialist advice to patients. They also supported the endoscopy team in breaking bad news where a potential malignancy had been identified. There was an employee assistance programme in place which offered counselling and mental well-being support sessions to staff who required it.

The hospital had a number of policies and processes in place to support the well-being of staff. These covered practical ways to helping staff lead healthier lives and how to manage pressure. These were implemented by managers of the service. There were processes in place to ensure that staff were supported with their well-being which enabled them to continue in their roles of providing care and treatment to patients.