Nuffield Health Shrewsbury Hospital

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

We looked for evidence that patients and communities were always at the centre of how care was planned and delivered. We checked that the health and care needs of patients and communities were understood, and they were actively involved in planning care that met these needs. We also looked for evidence that patient could access care in ways that met their personal circumstances and protected equality characteristics. 

At our last assessment we rated this key question alongside diagnostic imaging as good. At this assessment, the rating has remained good. This key question has been rated good. This meant patient’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery. 

We have not awarded this service a score for Responsive.

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

The service made usually sure patients were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with patients, how to respond to any relevant changes in patient’s needs. 

The service had systems to support patients with complex healthcare needs, sensory loss, mental health, learning disabilities, and dementia. However, during the inspection there were not any pictorial cards/books/charts available in outpatients for patients who may not be able to communicate verbally. Following the inspection leaders provided us with a copy of the hospital communication book which contained information about why people may have difficulties understanding and communicating and provided staff with tips to improve communication and pictures they could use to communicate.  

There were dignity and dementia champions and meetings. The manager of the outpatient's department was also a dignity and dementia champion. Patients living with dementia were discussed in a multi-disciplinary team meeting.  Items such as twiddle muffs available if needed. Staff received training on dementia awareness, compliance was at 100%. We reviewed the minutes from the patient experience forum in July 2026 and noted the outpatient manager had delivered a presentation on dementia.  

Staff told us how they had supported a patient with a learning disability by arranging a prehospital visit followed up on the day of the appointment by identifying a quiet area, being greeted by a member of nursing staff who remained with the patient throughout, leading to a more positive experience for the patient. Staff completed a recognised training on learning disabilities and autism.  

There was a quiet room available for patients or staff that had massage mats on the chairs and some information around different faiths, however some of this information needed updating. We saw a sign in the waiting area inviting patients to ask staff if they wanted a quiet space.  

Leaders made sure staff, and patients, families and carers could get help from interpreters or signers when needed. As per Royal College guidelines private or self-pay patients were told about and knew all the planned and possible costs, including the costs of future surgery and dealing with possible complications. 

The service understood the diverse health and care needs of patients and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.  

The service planned and provided care in ways which met the needs of local people, and the communities served. They worked with others in the wider system and local organisations to plan care where relevant. For example, leaders supported 2 local NHS hospitals to care for long waiting patients. 

Nuffield Health Shrewsbury Hospital had a service level agreement with the local NHS hospital to ensure the safe transfer and ongoing management of patients who became critically unwell within their care. This agreement was reviewed annually to ensure it remined effective and continued to meet requirements. 

The hospital was in the process of launching outreach clinics in Ludlow which provided convenient access to specialist healthcare consultations in a local setting, helping patients receive advice and assessment without the need to travel further afield or who may have challenges with local transport. This was in response to rural communities often facing greater challenges accessing healthcare.  

The healthcare account manager visited GP surgeries to distribute newsletters to provide updates on hospital development, available services, and referral pathways. The hospital was also a member of a representative body for independent sector healthcare meaning they received regular updates and insight regarding national healthcare priorities and developments.  

We were told how the hospital had recently welcomed the local MP. Where they were able to discuss the work, they did with the NHS and the local community and the ways in which they may be able to help further. 

The service usually supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. 

A range of information was available to patients, including leaflets on various surgical procedures, investigations, and advice for maximising their health. We asked if information was available in alternative languages and were told how required leaflets could be produced. 

There was information around costs and repayment in patient areas. We saw a patient guide had been produced for biopsy or removal of skin lesions with local anaesthetic. The comprehensive guide contained information on benefits and risks, aftercare, a section that aftercare wound instructions could be added as well as the contact number to ring of the patient had any questions or concerns relating to their wound.  

There was an accessible information standard operating procedure that outlined the actions to be taken for the management of communication needs of patients including the process to follow and any actions required. 

The service generally  made it easy for patients and support. Staff involved patients in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. 

The service and staff generally made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas or raise complaints about their care, treatment, and support. There were patient satisfaction survey boxes in the waiting area. Patients were involved in decisions about their care and were well informed about treatment plans. 

The hospitals patient experience dashboard showed that 100% of patients felt they were involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care.  

Patients could give feedback about their experiences of care and support, including how to raise any concerns or issues and could do so in a range of accessible ways. People, their family, and carers could feel confident that if they complained, they would be taken seriously and treated compassionately.  

Leaders told us how they would try to resolve any complaints as soon as they came in, however if the complaint could not be resolved they would be provided with information on how to make an official complaint. Complaints and concerns were discussed in the daily huddle and team meetings. Leaflets informing patients how to make a complaint were available in waiting areas.  

Complaints or concern were investigated and responded to. We reviewed several complaints and found they contained an apology and provided the patient with an explanation as well as telling them how they could escalate their response further if they wished. Staff were able to share an example of learning that had happened in relation to a complaint when a recurring theme had been identified relating to hospital fees. In response a review of patient information and financial consent processes was undertaken. This led to clearer information on fees in appointment confirmation letters.  

Patients could take any unresolved complaints to the parliamentary ombudsman if an NHS patient. Learning from complaints and concerns was seen as an opportunity for improvement and leaders could give examples of how they incorporated learning into daily practice. 

The service usually made sure that patients could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. 

Patients were advised to speak to the receptionist if they had not been seen in 15 minutes of arriving for their appointment. We saw an example when actions had been taken in relation to clinics regularly exceeding their allocated appointment times. As a result, appointment length was adjusted to reflect actual activity and patient requirements. This helped to improve clinic flow, reduce delays, and enhance the patient's experience.  

The hospital had an electronic system that was able to track if appointments had been cancelled, moved or transferred and where no patients were seen by a consultant on a particular day. The reporting functionality was unable to distinguish between a clinic that had been fully cancelled and a clinic that had been amended, rescheduled, or moved to another date. The reason for most cancellations was due to consultant availability.  

The hospitals practicing privileges policy required consultants to provide a minimum of 3 weeks' notice when cancelling or requesting changes to scheduled clinical activity. Leaders confirmed no outpatient clinic sessions were cancelled due to facility issues, staffing shortages or operational capacity.  

The hospital had been tasked with reducing their call abandonment rate to under 5%. They achieved this with an average of 4.85. Leaders had thanked teams for achieving the shared goal.

Staff and leaders listened to information about patients who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. 

There were systems and processes for gathering feedback which enabled collection of information about equity of patient's experiences and outcomes.  

People who did not speak English as their first language could access the service. Staff had access to interpret services.  

There was patient information for cataracts surgery which was printed out on yellow paper so patients could see this, it also had larger print.  

There were raised chairs available in the waiting areas for patients who found sitting on the lower chairs difficult. We saw staff had brought a chair to the reception desk for a patient who was paying their bill. There was an area in the outpatients waiting room designated as a priority seating area. There were disabled parking spaces available as well as wheelchairs in the waiting area for patient use.  

There were toilets in the outpatient's department, they had pull cords for emergency use. There was also a disabled toilet and baby change. Hearing loops were available at the reception desk. At the time of the inspection the weather was warm, and the hospital had invested in some air conditioning units. The outpatients’ department was signposted on arrival at the hospital. 

Patients were usually supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future. 

Patients were provided with access to ongoing support and advice. For example, telephone calls were made after consultations and patients were able to ring up if they had any concerns. They were given written and verbal advice such as side effects of any treatments. They had the opportunity to attend a pre assessment where they could discuss any questions around their treatment or surgery.  

We observed 2 consultations and found staff gave good explanations on the patient's treatment and provided them with the opportunity for them to ask questions to help them plan for the future.