Spire Harpenden Hospital

Ratings

• Overall

  Good

• Safe

  Good

• Effective

  Good

• Caring

  Good

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Good

Our view of the service

As part of our comprehensive assessment of Spire Harpenden, we inspected medical care and surgical services. Across both services, we found people received care from skilled, compassionate and multidisciplinary teams committed to providing safe, effective and person-centred care.

Staff worked collaboratively to deliver coordinated care and support positive patient outcomes. Services were well organised, with effective systems and processes in place to maintain safety, manage risks, monitor quality and drive continuous improvement. Leaders promoted a positive and inclusive culture, supported staff development and encouraged learning and innovation across the hospital.

We found examples of good practice in both services. Medical care demonstrated a focus on holistic support for chemotherapy patients and improvements to cancer pathways through clinical nurse specialist involvement. Surgical services provided a broad range of procedures across multiple specialties, supported by established pathways, suitable facilities and effective multidisciplinary working to meet patients' needs.

Patients received care in environments designed to support safe and responsive care. Staff were committed to delivering high-quality services and ensuring people were treated with dignity, kindness and respect. Governance processes were effective in overseeing performance, identifying areas for improvement and maintaining the quality and safety of care.

During this assessment, we did not identify any breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and did not need to take any regulatory action. Overall, the evidence showed a well-led hospital where people received high-quality care from skilled and compassionate staff. Strong governance arrangements, effective teamwork and a commitment to learning and continuous improvement supported positive patient experiences and outcomes. The findings from this assessment support the hospital's overall rating of Good.