- Independent hospital
St Anthony's Hospital
Assessment report published 7 September 2026
Contents
Ratings - Critical care
Our view of the service
We carried out a short-announced comprehensive inspection at St Anthony’s Hospital Critical Care unit
on the 16 and 17 June 2026 as the service was last inspected in 2019 and we received some
information of concern.
The Critical Care service is an 8 bedded unit and provides level 2 and level 3 care. The service admitted
patients under a set of criteria from surgery and does not provide cancer or end of life care services.
Patients were not discharged directly from the critical care unit but were transferred to wards.
During our assessment, we looked at Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-Led key questions for
the critical care service. We found that the service provided a person-centred and holistic approach to
patients’ care and treatment, considering individual needs, emotional beliefs and dietary
requirements. The service is consultant led and is supported by a team of specialist critical care nurses,
critical care doctors, healthcare assistants, allied health professionals and non-clinical staffs. We spoke
to 15 members of staff, including nurses, consultants, anaesthetists, physiotherapist, pharmacists, and
healthcare assistants. We also spoke with 5 patients and reviewed 10 patients’ records.
Staff understood safeguarding procedures and there were systems in place to ensure that the patient/
staff ratio was in conformity with the requirements for level 2 and level 3 care to ensure that people’s
safety and needs were met. Staff respected the privacy of patients, knew how to identify and mitigate
risks and we observed dignity and compassion being at the centre of the care provided.
Although the service had an open-door policy for staff to report concerns, staff reported to us that
concerns raised were not always responded to, they did not always feel that they were listened to and
were not involved in key decisions making which affected the service.
Leaders and staff understood the overall vision of the unit and there were processes in place to ensure
the safety and good experience of people whilst in the critical care. The service monitored the quality
of care provided and took action to improve the quality of service and care where required.
Governance and policies ensured an oversight and assessment of quality and performance although
staff reported that they were not always actively involved in quality improvement. The provider had
enough staff to ensure patients’ safety and that individual needs, and preferences were met and they
could access services when required.
We rated the service as good. We found that the Critical Care Unit provided Safe, Effective, Caring,
Responsive and Well-led care services.
People's
People's experience of this service
Patients and relatives we spoke with said that they were happy with the service they received at Spire
St Anthony’s Hospital whilst in critical care and felt very supported by critical care staff.
Patients told us that staff treated them with dignity, respect and involved them in the planning of their
care and discussed each key stages of their treatment.
The patient survey feedback is reported within the surgery feedback, as patients were admitted in the
critical care unit post operatively. The survey showed that between June 2025 and May 2026, out of
1351, 80% rated their overall experience as very good and were likely to use the service again.