The Care Quality Commission
  • Hospital
  • Independent hospital

Buckshaw Hospital

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Eaton Avenue, Buckshaw Village, Chorley, PR7 7NA 07775 432259

Provided and run by:
Ramsay Health Care UK Operations Limited

All Inspections

During an assessment of Surgery

The surgical service included general, orthopaedics, gynaecology, urology, vascular and cosmetic.
On arrival at the hospital, there was a large waiting area where patients were booked in by reception staff. There were 2 other waiting areas located next to the ward and diagnostic imaging department, which provided a quieter space for patients waiting for their appointment.
The surgical and medical services had a ward area comprising of 4 admission pods, 4 bedded high-care recovery room and 8 recovery pods on the ward. There were 2 theatres (one theatre used for endoscopy).

At the inspection the endoscopy list was in the morning and the surgical list was in the afternoon.

During an assessment of Medical care (Including older people's care)

Medical services at Buckshaw Hospital provided endoscopy procedures.

Patients who attended Buckshaw Hospital for an endoscopy procedure used the same waiting room and ward as the surgical patients.

One theatre was used for endoscopy procedures. At the inspection the endoscopy list was in the morning and the surgical list was in the afternoon.

During an assessment of Diagnostic imaging

The service provided diagnostic imaging for patients referred for a range of investigations, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT) and Ultrasound (US). MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves, CT uses X-rays and computer processing, and ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of structures within the body. Services were delivered from a dedicated department within the hospital, supported by a multidisciplinary team of radiographers, radiologists and administrative staff.

Patients typically attend for a single diagnostic appointment, with follow-up care managed by referring clinicians.

We inspected all areas of the diagnostic imaging department, including MRI, CT and ultrasound services, as well as referral processes, patient pathways and governance arrangements. We also reviewed how the service supported patients with additional needs and worked with external partners to ensure continuity of care. During the inspection, we spoke with 5 patients, the service manager and deputy manager, and 5 other staff working within diagnostic imaging.

The service was previously rated good, and this rating has been maintained following this assessment. Overall, we found that staff were focused on delivering patient-centred care and demonstrated a commitment to safety, quality and continuous improvement. Systems were in place to support safe and effective service delivery, including robust governance arrangements, clear processes for managing risk and strong communication systems. Patient feedback was positive, and staff described a supportive and improving culture. No new breaches of regulation were identified during this assessment, and previous standards continued to be met.

During an assessment of the hospital overall

17 March 2026

Buckshaw Hospital provides a range of private services and undertakes NHS contracts. This assessment looked at diagnostic imaging, surgical and medical care due to risks identified. The rating from diagnostic imaging, surgical and medical care has been combined with ratings of the other services from the last inspections. See our previous reports to get a full picture of all other services at Buckshaw Hospital. The rating of Buckshaw Hospital remains good.

In our assessment of diagnostic imaging, surgical and medical care we found:

The services had a strong learning culture. Staff understood how to raise concerns and reported incidents appropriately. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly and shared learning to improve practice.

All areas of the hospital were clean and tidy. Equipment was new and in good condition.

The services were appropriately staffed with the correct skill mix to provide a good standard of care.

Patient outcomes were positive and met expectations. Staff assessed and monitored patients’ pain effectively and provided timely and appropriate pain relief.

Staff treated patients with kindness and compassion. They respected patients’ privacy and dignity and treated them as individuals, taking account of their preferences.

The service worked to reduce health and care inequalities through service planning, quality monitoring, staff training and the use of patient feedback. Patients were involved in planning their care and were supported to understand their options, including the choice to withdraw from or decline treatment.

Leaders had effective oversight of the quality of care provided. Governance and risk management systems were in place and used to monitor performance, manage risks and drive improvements.

Staff told us they felt supported by the management team and spoke positively about working at Buckshaw Hospital.

The surgical service included general, orthopaedics, gynaecology, urology, vascular and cosmetic. The medical service provided endoscopy. The service provides diagnostic imaging for patients referred for a range of investigations, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound.

On arrival at the hospital, there was a large waiting area where patients were booked in by reception staff. There were 2 other waiting areas located next to the ward and diagnostic imaging department, which provided a quieter space for patients waiting for their appointment.

The surgical and medical services had a ward area comprising of 4 admission pods, 4 bedded high-care recovery room and 8 recovery pods on the ward. There were 2 theatres (one theatre used for endoscopy). At the inspection the endoscopy list was in the morning and the surgical list was in the afternoon.

Patients who had surgery or endoscopy were managed as day cases treated by a named consultant.

The diagnostic imaging service had a range of diagnostic investigations, including MRI, CT, and ultrasound imaging. Diagnostic imaging services were delivered from a dedicated department within the hospital, supported by a multidisciplinary team comprising radiographers, radiologists, and administrative staff.

Patients typically attended for a single diagnostic appointment, with results and any subsequent follow-up care managed by the referring clinician.

27 April 2023

During a routine inspection

This was the first inspection of this service. We rated it as good because:

  • The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. They managed medicines well. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them.
  • Staff provided good care and treatment, gave patients enough to eat and drink, and gave them pain relief when they needed it. Leaders monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients, advised them on how to lead healthier lives, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good information.
  • Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and took account of their individual needs. They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers. Feedback from patients was positive.
  • The service planned care to meet the needs of local people, took account of patients’ individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for treatment.
  • Experienced and compassionate leaders ran services effectively using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care and took pride in their work. The service engaged well with patients and the community to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

However

  • Not all staff had received an appraisal in the last 12 months.
  • Records of employment checks were disorganised. At the time of our inspection the service was not able to demonstrate full compliance with the requirements of Schedule 3 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
  • Records of temperature checks for medications were not always completed.
  • Departmental meetings were not always completed regularly and did not always follow the standing agenda.