Nuffield Health Derby 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

The service worked with patients to understand and manage risks. Care met patients' needs in a way which was safe and supportive and enabled them to do the things that mattered to them.

The service consistently treated patients with kindness, empathy and respect, ensuring privacy and dignity were maintained at all times. Staff interacted with patients in a calm, compassionate manner, and feedback showed high satisfaction with how they were treated. Patients said staff explained procedures clearly, offered reassurance and provided emotional support when needed.

Staff told us they adapted communication and care for patients with additional needs, including autistic people and people living with dementia and anxiety or language barriers. Staff used interpreters, easy‑read materials and flexible pathways to support understanding and reduce anxiety. Pre‑assessment processes helped identify additional needs early so reasonable adjustments could be planned in advance.

Patients felt listened to and involved in decisions about their care. They were encouraged to be independent after surgery, supported by physiotherapists and given control over their medicines where appropriate. Staff responded quickly to discomfort or distress, and ensured call bells and mobility aids were always within reach.

The service also prioritised staff wellbeing, offering debriefs, psychological support and flexible adjustments. Staff reported feeling supported, valued and able to contribute to service improvements. Staff in most areas consistently completed their training, resulting in high compliance. Staff had access to development opportunities, with many progressing into advanced roles. Leaders used staff feedback to improve working conditions and communication

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good.

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

During our inspection, we observed staff in operating theatres and on the ward interacting with patients in a kind, calm and respectful manner. Staff took time to speak with patients, offer reassurance and build positive rapport. Patients appeared comfortable with those caring for them.

Patients told us staff were kind, supportive and professional throughout their care. They said staff took time to explain procedures and treatment plans clearly.

Patient feedback and survey results confirmed high satisfaction with how staff treated them. Most patients told us they felt treated with dignity and had enough privacy during their care.

In theatres, staff covered patients as much as possible to protect their dignity and ensured they were not exposed unnecessarily. Staff showed respect to anaesthetised patients. On the wards and when moving around the hospital, staff encouraged and supported patients to remain dressed or covered.

Staff demonstrated a strong patient‑centred and caring approach. Continuity of care enabled staff to recognise when patients needed additional support and provide it promptly. Staff built mental health and wellbeing support into the service, including access to Mental Health First Aiders.

Staff followed hospital policy to keep patient care and treatment confidential.

Throughout our inspection, we saw staff treat each other with kindness and respect across all roles and disciplines. Staff interactions were consistently respectful, supportive and inclusive.

The service treated patients as individuals and made sure patient’s care, support and treatment met patient’s needs and preferences. Staff took account of patient’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff assessed and responded to patients’ communication needs, emotional wellbeing and capacity to consent. Staff told us they adapted communication and care for patients with additional needs, including autistic people and people living with dementia and anxiety. Staff described using interpreters to support understanding. Staff did mental capacity assessments when required to ensure consent to care and treatment was lawfully gained. Staff offered familiarisation visits before treatment, and made effort to reduce sensory stimulation. For example, staff provided quiet spaces and adjusted appointment times for anxious patients. Staff training supported these approaches. Dementia awareness training compliance was 97% across theatres and the ward, and compliance with the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Autism and Learning Disabilities was 93% in theatres and 95% on the ward.

We saw information leaflets available in different languages and easy‑read formats to support understanding. Patients could also scan a QR code to access alternative formats such as text‑to‑speech.

Leaders embedded individualised care at service level through pre‑assessment processes and service design. Staff used pre‑assessment to identify additional needs early and plan reasonable adjustments in advance. Leaders also described flexible pathways for people with autism, learning disabilities or dementia.

Feedback from patients showed they experienced care that recognised them as individuals. Patients told us they felt listened to, reassured and supported throughout their care.

The service promoted patient’s independence, so patient knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Patients told us staff explained treatments clearly and gave them time to ask questions and reflect, supported by written information. Patients felt able to make informed decisions about their care and understood why certain treatment options were recommended or not clinically suitable. When treatment choices were limited by their condition, patients said they could discuss this openly with clinicians and ask questions to support informed decision‑making.

We saw staff encourage patients to become independent as soon as they were able after surgery. Staff supported patients to mobilise and move around the ward, toilets and bathroom. Physiotherapists provided exercise routines when needed and taught patients new ways of moving so they could get out of bed safely and promptly.

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

Patients could call staff using a call bell, and staff frequently visited rooms to assess needs. Staff observed patients closely and intervened when they saw someone was uncomfortable, uncovered or distressed. Patients appeared well cared for and had the items they needed, such as glasses or walking aids, within reach. Staff encouraged patients to eat and drink enough to maintain their health.

Staff positioned emergency call bells close to each bed, in recovery and in theatre so they could summon additional or specialist help quickly.

Staff ensured people who used mobility aids, such as walking frames or crutches, had them close by and supported them until they regained their usual mobility.

Patient satisfaction surveys showed consistently high scores for staff responsiveness, reassurance and support. Free‑text feedback frequently described staff noticing when people were uncomfortable, worried or unwell and responding immediately, which matched what patients told us during interviews.

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The service introduced several measures to support staff wellbeing, including structured debriefs after incidents, access to an Employee Assistance Programme and referrals to external psychological support when needed.

Staff told us they were happy at work and felt well supported. They said managers were approachable and responded when help was needed. Staff gave examples of adjustments made during difficult personal situations, such as returning after long‑term sickness or managing ongoing health problems.

Staff said they had access to the right training and development opportunities and felt supported to grow and progress. Some staff told us they had started as healthcare assistants and were supported to complete nursing associate or registered nurse training. Others were encouraged to join apprenticeships or programmes such as the Florence Nightingale Fellowship. Staff development and wellbeing formed a key part of the appraisal process. At the time of inspection, 92% of staff had received an appraisal or were in the process of completing one.

Staff said they could contribute to service development and improvement. They described taking part in audits, incident reviews and quality improvement work and said leaders encouraged them to share feedback and ideas.

Leaders used staff feedback to improve wellbeing and working conditions. They reviewed staff survey results regularly and shared clear action plans with teams. Leaders identified issues such as workload, the work environment, recognition and communication.

The service introduced measures including quarterly staff forums, coffee‑and‑cake sessions with the senior leadership team and an open‑door policy. Leaders also carried out daily morning walkarounds.