SpaMedica Sittingbourne

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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 looked for evidence that staff treated patients with kindness, empathy and compassion. We assessed the levels of privacy and dignity afforded to patients. We asked patients about their experiences. We also looked for evidence that every effort was made to take patients’ wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

Patients received person-centred care from staff who treated them with kindness, compassion and respect. Staff protected patients’ privacy and dignity, respected their individual preferences, and supported their independence, choice and control. Patients were encouraged to ask questions and had access to the information and support they needed, including specialist services where appropriate. The service worked with patients to understand and manage risks, ensuring care was delivered in a safe and supportive way that reflected what mattered most to them. Staff responded positively to patients’ needs and communication preferences, helping to uphold their rights and dignity.

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

We have not awarded this service a score for Caring.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Caring.

The evidence showed an exceptional standard. The service was exceptional at treating patients with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected patient’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

The service treated patients with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff also treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect

Staff demonstrated a real empathy for the patients they cared for. They showed caring and respectful attitudes in their interactions with patients. They introduced themselves, explained their roles and took time to communicate in a considerate and reassuring manner. We saw staff providing reassurance to patients who felt anxious and supporting patients to move safely when required.

Patients consistently spoke positively about the care they received. We spoke with 9 patients during the assessment, all described staff as kind, professional and respectful. Patients told us staff listened to them, answered their questions and supported them throughout their care and treatment. One patient told us they had chosen the service following a family member's positive experience of care.

Feedback about care was exceptionally positive. One patient described their experience as "golden" and said staff had looked after them extremely well. They told us they had felt anxious before both their assessment and treatment, but staff were friendly, reassuring and took time to help them feel calm and supported throughout their care.

Staff protected patients' privacy and maintained confidentiality in line with the service's policies and procedures. Consultation room doors were closed during appointments and discussions took place in private environments, enabling patients to speak openly about their care.

Patients’ individual needs and preferences were understood, and these were reflected in their care, treatment and support. Staff listened to patients, responded to concerns, provided clear explanations and supported patients to feel comfortable and valued.

There was a culture in which staff recognised and responded to patients’ emotional needs, going beyond routine expectations to ensure patients felt valued, reassured and supported. We saw staff responding compassionately when a patient arrived on the wrong date and time for an appointment and became visibly distressed. The registered manager worked with staff to safely accommodate the patient that day, reducing unnecessary anxiety and inconvenience and demonstrated a deep understanding of the patient care.

Staff demonstrated an exceptional commitment to providing compassionate, person-centred care and proactively sought innovative ways to improve patients’ experiences.

Staff took additional steps to improve patients' experiences and reduce anxiety. For example, reception staff developed quiz sheets for patients to complete while waiting for appointments, providing a distraction for people who felt nervous about treatment. The service had also adapted its approach for anxious patients by introducing worry pebbles after identifying that stress balls could cause patients to move unexpectedly during procedures.

The evidence showed an exceptional standard. The service treated patient as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure patient’s care, support and treatment met patient’s needs and preferences. The service took account of patient’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

The service treated patients as individuals and worked to make sure care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences. Staff took account of people's strengths, abilities, culture, background and protected characteristics when planning and delivering care.

Patients' personal, cultural, social and religious needs were understood and respected. The service promoted inclusion and provided a quiet room for neurodiverse patients. The provider also had a diversity board and used equality, diversity and inclusion impact assessments when reviewing policies.

Patients' communication needs were identified and supported. Interpreters were arranged when needed, and information was available in different formats to help patients understand their care and treatment.

Leaders and staff demonstrated an exceptional commitment to listening to patients and using feedback to deliver meaningful improvements that enhanced people’s experiences of care.

Leaders and staff actively sought feedback and used it effectively to improve services. Following feedback a pedal-operated bin in an accessible toilet was replaced with a more accessible alternative. Another example, the service worked with a local charity supporting blind and partially sighted people to review the patient journey. As a result, yellow tape was added to chair legs to improve visibility, and further improvements to accessible information were being explored. This showed a commitment to patient care and service improvement for the patients’ needs.

Staff were responsive to patients’ individual needs and proactively adapted care to improve their experience and wellbeing. Staff continuously adapted care to meet individual needs. For example, they introduced worry pebbles for anxious patients after finding stress balls could cause patients to move unexpectedly during procedures.

Staff assessed and met patients’ needs for food and drink and for specialist nutrition and hydration. The service had hot and cold drinks available and biscuits for patients’, post-surgery. If there were long delays to appointments or surgery, the staff provided patients with food. There were a range of snacks for patients with dietary restrictions such as coeliac disease and lactose intolerance.

Staff consistently went above and beyond to ensure care was tailored to patients’ individual needs and circumstances, enabling them to access treatment in a way that was safe, comfortable and person-centred. A patient told us how staff listened carefully to their concerns and made thoughtful adjustments to support them. For example, one patient told us staff carried out a pre-operative assessment to determine whether they could safely maintain the position required for cataract surgery. Staff then adapted the patient's care to accommodate their mobility and postural needs, ensuring they could undergo treatment safely and comfortably.

Patients told us staff took time to understand their individual circumstances and made adjustments where required to support positive outcomes.

Staff directed patients to other services when appropriate and, if required, supported them to access those services. The service offered a sight support services for all patients. This was to support with emotional and practical support to patients living with sight loss or reduced vision. Sight support officers could provide emotional support, direct patients toward financial advice services, signpost to charities, and refer onwards to other organisations. This was service offered across the provider network and the Sight Support Officers were qualified Eye Clinic Liaison Officers (ECLOs) accredited by a London based further education provider.

The evidence showed a good standard. The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

The service helped to promote patients' independence and supported them fully to make informed choices about their care and treatment.

Patients received clear information about their condition, treatment options and the benefits and risks of treatment. Staff encouraged patients to ask questions and take part in decisions about their care.

Records showed patients were involved in decision-making and understood they could change their minds at any stage. We saw a patient being discharged following treatment. Staff provided both written and verbal information about recovery, including advice about expected symptoms, driving, returning to work and when to seek further help. Staff checked the patient understood the information and had the opportunity to ask questions

Managers organised services to support patient choice and continuity of care. Patients could attend follow-up appointments with accredited optometrists at convenient locations, often with their referring optician. Patients also had access to a helpline if they needed advice or support following treatment.

Staff supported patients to remain in control of their care by providing practical advice about eye care, medicines and recovery. Family members and carers were involved where appropriate, and interpreters were arranged when needed.

Patients received a follow-up call the day after surgery to check on their recovery, provide reassurance and answer any questions. This helped patients feel informed and supported following treatment.

A dedicated transport service was available for eligible patients, and drivers supported people arriving at and leaving the clinic. Patients told us this helped them attend appointments safely and maintain their independence.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern, or distress.

The service listened to and understood patients’ needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to patients’ needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

People’s needs, views, wishes and comfort were prioritised, and staff anticipated needs to reduce preventable discomfort, concern or distress. The service asked patients to complete feedback surveys and used this information to identify areas for improvement. Feedback was generally positive.

Staff were alert to patients’ needs and took time to observe, communicate with and engage people in discussions about their immediate requirements. All patients attended a pre-operative assessment where nurses discussed individual needs and any support required. Where patients had particular needs, staff made appropriate adjustments.

Staff could quickly recognise when people needed urgent help or support and used appropriate systems to assist them. We saw staff responding promptly when an emergency call buzzer was activated in the recovery area. Staff attended immediately, assessed the patient and administered pain relief without delay.

The service took additional steps to support patients’ comfort and reduce anxiety during their visit. Complimentary hot and cold drinks were readily available for patients and accompanying relatives, particularly during longer appointments. Staff also supported patients with practical needs, including helping to arrange transport home where required, reducing stress and ensuring patients could leave the service safely.

Emergency call buzzers were available in patient areas, and CCTV was used in waiting and recovery areas to help staff monitor patients and respond promptly when assistance was needed.

The evidence showed an exceptional standard. The service always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The service used innovative and creative ways to enable staff to be empowered and voice their opinions. Staff were actively encouraged to discuss any concerns. There were high levels of open engagement when they do.

Staff described a positive culture where they felt valued, listened to and supported by both local leaders and the wider organisation. Staff survey results were exceptionally positive, with 100% of respondents reporting they were recognised for good work, involved in decisions affecting their role, kept informed about important changes and listened to by managers. The overwhelmingly positive staff survey results reflected the feedback we received during the assessment.

The provider promoted a positive and supportive culture. Staff achievements and acts of kindness were celebrated through an 'Above and Beyond' register, where colleagues could recognise examples of exceptional support and teamwork.

Staff could recognise colleagues through an ‘Appreciation Station’, where messages of thanks and recognition were shared. This complemented other initiatives, such as the ‘Feel Good Friday’ newsletter and ‘Above and Beyond’ register, which recognised staff who had made a positive difference to patients and colleagues.

A regular 'Feel Good Friday' newsletter highlighted individual and team achievements and shared examples of good practice from across the organisation.

Staff had access to suitable facilities, including a staff room with kitchen facilities and space to take breaks. Staff told us they were able to take breaks during their shifts and could take additional breaks where needed for health or wellbeing reasons.

Staff felt able to give feedback, raise concerns and suggest improvements. The provider carried out an annual staff survey, and the most recent results were very positive. Staff reported feeling proud to work for the organisation and felt they were treated fairly and with respect. Survey results showed that 100% of respondents felt people were treated fairly regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or other protected characteristics, and 100% said they had not experienced inappropriate or harmful sexual behaviours at work.

Staff worked well together and had opportunities for shared learning and development. All staff we spoke with during the assessment told us they were encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge and felt supported to do so.

The service supported staff wellbeing through a range of initiatives. Staff had access to a wellbeing hub, which provided online resources, self-help tools and information about physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Additional support was available through an employee assistance programme, mental health first aiders and independent counselling services. We also saw wellbeing information and local sources of support displayed within staff areas.

The provider promoted equality, diversity and inclusion. Staff told us leaders were supportive of individual needs and made reasonable adjustments where required. Examples included providing access to quiet working areas and supporting staff who needed time away from work to manage long-term health conditions.