Spire Norwich 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

We looked for evidence that patients were always treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. We checked that patients privacy and dignity was respected, that 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 patients wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

This key question was previously rated good and has remained as 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.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service always treated patients with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity.

We observed a strong person-centred culture, and staff were committed to providing kind and compassionate care.

Staff we spoke with demonstrated an understanding of, and respect for, patients’ individual needs. On the day of our inspection, we observed staff checking patients felt comfortable and explained the MRI procedure clearly and appropriately. Patients told us they were very satisfied with the waiting time for their appointment, felt “listened to” and reported that staff contacted them promptly to arrange their appointment.

Patients also told us that staff provided detailed aftercare instructions, which contributed to a positive patient experience.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service treated patients as individuals and made sure patients 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.

Patients who used the service told us that staff treated them as individuals and took their needs and preferences into account when undertaking scan procedures. They told us staff clearly explained the scan procedures to them in a way they could understand.

Staff we spoke with demonstrated an understanding of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy, which promoted equality, respected religious beliefs, and addressed the needs of patients.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service promoted patients’ independence, so patients knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

The staff provided reassurance throughout the scan, 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.

Patients told us staff allowed them sufficient time to settle in before commencing scan procedures and spoke to them through the microphone when they felt anxious. Where necessary, staff assisted patients while they prepared for their scan.

The service had a chaperone process in place to support patients if they needed it.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service 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.

Staff closely monitored patients during their scans to ensure they were comfortable. Staff informed patients that they would pause the scan if requested or if the patient experienced pain, anxiety or discomfort. Staff communicated with patients throughout the procedure using the intercom system to keep them informed about the process and time remaining.

We observed staff who were calm and reassuring and who responded appropriately to patients’ questions about their scan.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff had access to resource and facilities for safe working. This included being able to take breaks.

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

Staff told us they felt proud to work for Spire Norwich Hospital and most spoke positively about the hospital’s overall culture.

Staff told us they found the radiation protection supervisor RPS and other senior managers approachable and reported having good relationships with them.