- Independent hospital
Spire Southampton Hospital
Assessment report published 18 July 2025
Ratings - Surgery
Our view of the service
Spire Southampton Hospital is an independent hospital located in the Shirley Warren area of the city. Spire Healthcare Limited operates this service. The hospital opened in 2007 and was registered with CQC in 2010. The hospital primarily serves the communities of South Hampshire. It also accepts patient referrals from outside this area and also accepts international referrals for some complex surgeries. Patients are self-funded, insurance funded or funded by the NHS through contractual agreements to carry out NHS work. During the period of 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 the service undertook around 12,500 procedures. Of these procedures 81% were privately funded and 19% for the NHS. This is higher when compared with the average figure for all other locations in England, at 65%.The operating theatres were in use 6 days a week. The hospital has 67 inpatient beds provided across four inpatient wards, a critical care unit and day care unit. There are 6 operating theatres, an endoscopy suite and a cardiac catheter lab. The outpatient department includes 16 consulting rooms, three treatment rooms and a minor operations suite.
Date of assessment: 25th February - 30 April 2025
We reviewed this service due to not having a recent inspection and concerns raised regarding leadership and culture. We also undertook an online staff feedback survey for staff in the surgical workforce.
Safe:
The service had a good learning culture and information regarding investigations was shared to all staff. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly. People were protected and kept safe. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and were mostly well-maintained and any risks mitigated. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Managers made sure staff received training and regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care. Staff managed medicines well and involved people in planning any changes.
Effective:
People were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people's communication, personal and health needs. Care was based on latest evidence and good practice. People always had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people's care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving services. They monitored people's health to support healthy living. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent.
Caring:
People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. The service supported staff wellbeing
Responsive:
People were always involved in decisions about their care. The service provided information people could understand. People knew how to give feedback and were confident the service took it seriously and acted on it. The service was easy to access and worked to eliminate discrimination. People received fair and equal care and treatment. The service worked to reduce health and care inequalities through training and feedback. People were actively involved in planning their care and understood options around choosing to withdraw or not receive care.
Well-led:
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Leaders were mostly visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff in most areas felt supported to give feedback, where it was identified this could be improved senior leaders worked hard to improve this. People with protected characteristics felt supported. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. The service worked with the local community to always deliver the best possible care. The service encouraged the community to shape care and were always receptive to new ideas. There was a positive culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas.
People's experience of this service
Patients and their family or carers were positive about the service. They spoke about staff treating them with warmth and kindness and providing effective care and treatment. We spoke with over 30 patients and relatives. All patients were complimentary about the care they had received. Staff made them feel at ease and gave them enough information to enable them to make informed decisions. They were provided with a range of treatment options and felt involved in their care. Patients were able to access the service at a time which was suitable to them.