- Independent hospital
Spire Norwich Hospital
Assessment report published 24 July 2026
Contents
Ratings - Outpatients
Our view of the service
We assessed Spire Norwich Hospital from 4 to 24 March 2026. This was an aged rating assessment as the service had not been assessed since 2016. The assessment was unannounced and 33 quality statements, across the five key questions of safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well led were assessed to determine an overall rating.
The outpatient department consists of 23 consulting rooms across 3 sites, Hill House, the main hospital building, and the Ella May Barnes Clinic, which also houses the physiotherapy department and gym. This report relates to all three sites unless stated otherwise.
The service provides outpatients services for children and young people aged 0-18 and offers elective surgery for 16–18-year-olds.
Improvements have been seen since our last assessment in children’s safeguarding training, and the service now has 2 children and young people safeguarding leads.
Improvements have also been seen in the recording and storing of consultant notes.
In 2016 we assessed Spire Norwich Hospital using the assessment methodology of the time where the outpatient department and diagnostic imaging were assessed together. Under our current assessment framework, the two departments were assessed independently.
The service had a good learning culture. Incidents and complaints were investigated; learning was identified and shared. Staff were trained to recognise abuse and neglect and understood their responsibilities to safeguard people.
People had their needs assessed, with appropriate care and treatment delivered. Staff worked well within the department to promote good care and smooth transitions across services with appropriate sharing of information. People were supported to make informed decisions; treatment and care was monitored to improve outcomes. Consent to care and treatment was gained, and staff could demonstrate where best interest decisions would be made.
People were treated with kindness, dignity, and respect. People were given independence, choice, and control to make informed decisions around their own treatment and care; they were treated as individuals. The service had processes in place to support the wellbeing of staff.
Information was provided in a way that people understood taking into consideration additional communication needs and requirements. People using the service received equal and fair treatment with good outcomes.
Support processes were in place to encourage staff to speak up. Staff were treated equally and felt safe at work. The service had a clear vision and a strategy in place which was shared with staff. Leaders promoted an open and inclusive culture that maintained oversight of the service through regular checks and audits.
The hospital’s main service is surgery, where outpatient arrangements mirror those for surgery; findings will be reported under the surgery report.
People's experience of this service
People told us they were happy with the care and treatment they received from the service. This was reflected in a recent patient survey where 97% of people that responded rated their overall experience positively. People felt informed, treated as individuals and given choice around their treatment and care. Staff were reported to be friendly and approachable. People told us they would feel confident raising concerns as they felt they would be listened to and acted upon.