Spire Harpenden Hospital

We looked for evidence that people and communities had the best possible outcomes because their needs were assessed. We checked that people’s care, support and treatment reflected these needs and any protected equality characteristics, ensuring people were at the centre of their care. We also looked for evidence that leaders instilled a culture of improvement, where understanding current outcomes and exploring best practice was part of their everyday work.

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

Across medical care and surgical services, people received care and treatment that was based on current evidence and good practice. Staff assessed people's needs and worked collaboratively to plan and deliver care that supported positive outcomes. Multidisciplinary teams worked effectively across services to ensure care was coordinated and responsive to people's individual needs.

Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment, and leaders supported ongoing learning and development. Services monitored outcomes and used performance information, audits and feedback to identify opportunities for improvement. There was a culture of continuous improvement, with staff and leaders committed to learning, innovation and the delivery of high-quality care.

In medical care, people benefited from holistic support and improvements to cancer pathways through the involvement of clinical nurse specialists. In surgical services, patients were supported through established care pathways designed to optimise outcomes before, during and after treatment.

People were involved in decisions about their care and treatment and were supported to make informed choices wherever possible. Care and treatment reflected people's individual needs and protected equality characteristics.