Spire Little Aston Hospital

On this page

• 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.

When people communicated their needs, emotions or distress, staff could manage this in a positive way which protects their rights and dignity and maximised learning for the future about the causes of their distress.

We looked for evidence that patient were treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. We assessed the levels of patient’s privacy and dignity afforded to patients. We asked patients to tell us about their experiences, if they were respected, if they understood that they and their experience of how they were treated and supported mattered. We also looked for evidence that every effort was made to take patient’s wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

This is the first assessment of diagnostic services as an individual service group (it was previously inspected and rated with outpatients). We rated this key question 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 always treated patient with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. 

The service was exceptional at treating patient with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected patient’s privacy and dignity.

Patients received care and support that was compassionate and kind and we saw several examples of this during our onsite assessment. Patients we spoke to said they or their loved one were treated with kindness, compassion and dignity. One patient said the staff in CT were very reassuring and I felt in safe hands. Another patient said I can’t fault the service and care afforded to me by the Hospital. I was very well looked after in the Radiology department by x (radiographer and the Radiologist).

The imaging department had a ‘Dignity champion’, who was passionate about her role providing compassionate care and promoting patient dignity within the imaging department. The dignity champion supported staff to support patients within the department who had additional needs.

Staff were discreet and responsive and took the time to discuss the needs of the patients. Staff interacted with patients and those close to them in a respectful and considerate way. Patients were informed in a sensitive and timely manner, including updates on how the test would be undertaken and how they would get their test results.

The hospital has a strong average rating for patient satisfaction with 4.88 out of 5 stars based on 800 patient reviews. The survey praised helpful, polite, professional and reassuring staff (including radiographers.) Recent patient satisfaction surveys demonstrated positive experiences of care. Of those surveyed, 96.4% said they were given sufficient privacy when discussing their condition or treatment, and 94.3% reported they were treated with dignity and respect.

In the 12 Months between 1 June 2025 and 30 June 2026 97.9% of patients who attended the diagnostic imaging department identified they had a good or very good experience. The survey identified 97% of patients said the care their experienced within the imaging department care either met or exceeded their expectations.

Staff responded to patient’s anxieties about their procedure and took steps to reduce the stress within the environment. Patients who were particularly anxious, or who had cognitive impairment were able to have somebody familiar with them.

In the scanning room patients were covered as far as possible and not unduly exposed. Staff were respectful to the patients.

Patients were assured information about them was treated confidentially. Staff followed policy to keep patient care and treatment confidential. The service had an information governance policy, and staff were compliant with it.

The service treated patient 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 understood and respected the personal, cultural, social, and religious needs of patients and how they may relate to care needs. For example, patients’ communication needs were met. Staff could access translators in various languages including British Sign Language. This enabled patients to engage in their care, treatment and support.

Staff treated patients as individuals, considering any relevant protected equality characteristics. Staff respected the individual needs of each patient and showed understanding and a non-judgmental attitude when caring for or discussing patients with mental health needs or dementia. Staff received training in equality and diversity, so they understood, valued, and celebrated difference.

Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social, and religious needs of patients and how they may relate to care needs. For example, we saw a prayer box was available which contained items such as a prayer mat, candles, a prayer book and a cross and a sign to put on the door as rooms were interchangeable. A dedicated room was identified every day to allow privacy.

Feedback was gathered through patient surveys and concerns were responded to. We reviewed 6 patient records plans and saw care and treatment were tailored to individual needs and circumstances.

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

The staff provided reassurance throughout the scans we observed, they updated the patient on how long they had been in the scanner and how long was left. Patients had a panic button they could press any time during the scan to summon help. Staff could stop the scanning immediately if the patient requested this.

Earplugs were available which protected patients’ ears and helped to reduce the noise. For those patients demonstrating heightened anxiety, staff provide choice and control to patients, such as use of the call bell, trying the scan beforehand, bringing someone with them, and the use of music during the scan procedure.

Staff offered patients a choice of appointment time and day.

The staff were exceptional in how they 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.

During our onsite assessment we spoke with a patient who experienced a complication of their procedure. The patient told us staff explained what had happened, provided assurance and had acted quickly when the incident was identified. The patients said staff also provided them with written information for future reference if required.

We observed a procedure of a very unwell patient who had excessive fluid in their abdomen. Staff were kind and attentive ensuring their comfort during the procedure. The patient said they did not have an appointment booked with their consultant. Whilst the patient was still in the department staff made an urgent appointment for the patient to see their consultant and contacted the radiologist to report on the results urgently. Normal procedure would be to request the patient or their representative to make the appointment themselves after 5 working days We identified this as going above and beyond with caring and very compassionate staff to meet the patients immediate needs to ensure timely treatment with their consultant.

Staff gave patients and those close to them help, emotional support and advice when they needed it. They were empathetic and considerate of the stress of a scanning environment. On the afternoon of our onsite assessment there was a “One Stop “clinic breast clinic for patients who had potential symptoms of breast cancer. We saw some patients who were very anxious staff provided them with reassurance and ensured they were seen quickly by the consultant after their procedure for their results.

We saw several patients who had to drink a large quantity of fluid for their procedure (staff said the fluid taste was unpleasant). We observed staff were encouraging telling patients how well they had done and giving different suggestions on ways to drink the fluid such as small sips or large gulps depending on the patient.

People who used mobility aids such as walking frames had them close by. Staff ensured equipment was available with which was suitable for use in the MRI scan and assisted them to use them after their scan was completed.

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The embedded culture of kindness and respect extended to colleagues who were treated kindly and with respect. Patients received safe, effective and person-centred care as Spire Little Aston recognised and met the wellbeing needs of staff. All staff we spoke to said they enjoyed working at Spire Little Aston and would recommend it as a place to work.

Patients benefited from staff who had regular opportunities to provide feedback, raise concerns and suggest ways to improve the service or staff experiences. If necessary, leaders provided a timely and considered response. The service managers ensured staff were listened to.

There was a culture of kindness and respect between colleagues from other organisations. Patients were supported by staff who feel valued by their leaders and their colleagues. They had a sense of belonging and the ability to contribute to decision making. We observed staff saying hello to each other and visitors as they walked around the hospital.

Staff had access to resources and facilities for safe working. This included being able to take breaks, designated rest areas for the duty doctor and drink and food out of hours.

The interim hospital director in response to current financial challenges set up free soup and a roll for all staff. She said this ensured staff had hot food at least once a day when they were at work. The interim hospital director said its important staff can have something hot every day, we need to look after our staff so they can look after our patients well. All staff also had hot drinks and other snacks available to them.

The “Looking after you too” is a Little Aston initiative to promote staff wellbeing. All staff had a “Spire” water bottle provided to keep them well hydrated, Pilates sessions were held weekly and were available for all staff. Staff were entitled to a free comprehensive health check every 2 years.

Little Aston hospital had 3 mental health first aiders which included a nurse, medical secretary and a manager. The mental health first aiders were a point of contact and reassurance for staff experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress.

Leaders arranged special days such as nurses' day and tea and cakes with the senior leadership. Staff could drop in to enjoy tables with vintage tea plates, pots of tea, sandwiches and cake. There was also an upcoming black-tie event to celebrate the anniversary of Little Aston for staff.

Staff could nominate other staff for an award, and they could receive a voucher. This was recognised during huddle meetings. Staff wellbeing was an agenda item in team meetings.

Staff were able to work agreed flexible hours to suit their personal life, caring responsibilities or health requirements. For example some staff preferred to work shorter shifts and not working a late shift then followed by an early shift, whilst others preferred to work long days and have more days off.

The provider and local leaders ensured that staff with protected characteristics felt included and respected within the service.

Staff had access to personalised support which recognised the diversity of a workforce with proactive and reactive measures. There was a diversity champion who advocated for staff with protected characteristics. There were established staff network groups such as LGTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer), Race Equality and mental health first aiders who provided a safe space for staff to connect, share experiences and provide support and resources. There was a calendar of events and initiatives that celebrated different cultures and traditions throughout the year. The events often included support materials and engagement from the catering team, opportunities for staff to learn from each other and to celebrate their diverse backgrounds and experiences. Examples of events included Race Equality week, International Women’s Day, Pride Month, South Asian Heritage Black History Month and Speak up month. There were LGBTQ+ educational events such as ‘lunch and learn’, speaker sessions and podcasts had recently been introduced to promote a more inclusive workplace culture.

There were 2 national programs for recognising staff who went above and beyond for their patients and celebrated staff for providing outstanding care. For registered nurses and associate nurses this was the Daisy award and for any other clinical staff Spire introduced the IRIS award. Little Aston Hospital had 3 staff who had won the award for the central region.

Staff were able to provide feedback, raise concerns and suggest ways to improve the service or staff experiences and could expect a response.

Staff felt valued by their leaders and their colleagues. Staff had opportunities to contribute to service development for example within a range of quality improvements plans.