Optegra Eye Hospital Uttoxeter

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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

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated as good.

This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

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. Staff always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff took time to interact with patients and those close to them in a respectful and considerate way. We observed good interactions between all staff and patients. Patients were welcomed into the building and spoken to in a way that put them at ease.

All patients and relatives we spoke with told us they were happy with the care and support provided. Patients who had undergone surgical treatment said staff treated them well and with kindness. Comments included “I was nervous, but soon as I walked in, I felt at ease.”

Staff demonstrated genuine empathy for the patients they cared for. Patients felt staff listened to them and communicated with them appropriately, in a way they understood.

Staff supported patients who became distressed in an open environment and helped them maintain their privacy and dignity. We observed staff putting patients at ease particularly when they expressed feeling anxious. Staff gave patients and those close to them help, emotional support and advice when they needed it.

People felt they were treated with kindness, compassion and dignity in their day-to day care and support. People felt that staff listened to them and communicate with them appropriately, in a way they could understand.

People’s privacy and dignity was respected and always upheld. People was assured that information about them were treated confidentially and they knew that staff respected their privacy.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. Staff service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

There was a strong patient centred culture with patients’ individual needs and preferences understood and reflected in their care. Staff had a strong understanding of patients’ human rights to dignity and respect and acted to uphold these rights, even in challenging situations.

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’ needs. Staff received training in equality and diversity, and they understood, valued, and celebrated difference.

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

People were supported to have choice and control over their own care and to make decisions about their care, treatment and wellbeing. There was a chaperone poster displayed for patients who needed support and could request if they wish which was discussed during their preassessment appointment.

Staff understood the emotional and social impact that a person’s care, treatment or condition had on their wellbeing and on those close to them. Staff we spoke with were clear about how the treatments resulted in positive outcomes for patients both physically and emotionally.

Staff assessed patients’ preferences and we heard of examples where relatives or carers were allowed to accompany patients who required additional support throughout their procedure if it was safe to do so.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. Staff service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Patients’ needs, views, wishes and comfort were a priority for staff. They acted quickly to anticipate these and to avoid any preventable discomfort, concern or distress. Patients spoke positively about the verbal information and support they received from staff before, during and after their procedure. We observed this throughout our onsite visit.

Patients told us they were kept informed about their treatment and staff were clear at explaining their treatment to them in a way they could understand. The comments received included, “I was given everything I needed at pre-op to read through booklets, and on the day, I was asked if I understood why I was here, including the risks and benefits of the treatment and its clearly explained to me.”

Staff were alert to patients’ needs and took time to observe, communicate and engaged people in discussions about their immediate needs. They found out how to respond in the most appropriate way to respect patients’ wishes. Staff could quickly recognise when people need urgent help or support.

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

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. Managers ensured staff were listened to, staff told us that managers had time to listen, and they felt they could raise any concerns with them, and it would be dealt with.

There were policies to provide staff with flexibility to provide a healthy work-life balance. Safety and wellbeing were promoted by means of open communication, access to Freedom to Speak Up Guardians and regular one to ones with managers. Staff appraisals included conversations about career development and how it could be supported. Staff were given opportunities to develop within the service.

There was a culture of kindness and respect between colleagues. Patients were supported by staff who felt valued by their leaders and their colleagues. They had a sense of belonging and the ability to contribute to decision making.

Staff told us they had access to many services and benefits provided by Optegra such as dental care, eye care, and other healthcare services if needed and many employee discounts. Staff spoke highly of Optegra’s staff benefits they had available.