Optimised Care Limited

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring - this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This is the first assessment for this service. We rated this key question good, which meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 80 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff treated patients and those accompanying them with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity.

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All patients we spoke with during our assessment were positive about their care and interactions with staff. None of the patients identified areas for improvement and all said they would recommend the service.

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People were assured that information about them was treated confidentially, and they knew that staff respected their privacy. Staff made it clear when information was shared and why, such as when surgeons provided a report of treatment to the patient's GP and NHS trust. The provider asked each patient to provide feedback on the service. Comments were consistently positive. A recent patient noted, "The staff are very good. I met the surgeon, and they explained everything. Everything looks tidy and clean." Another patient said, "All the staff were wonderful, I was well informed and reassured."

During our observations, physiotherapists were reassuring with patients during post-operative sessions. They introduced themselves, explained their plan, and took time to answer questions. Recovery goals were realistic, and physiotherapists adopted an engaging manner with each patient, adapted to their goals and abilities.

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In all cases we saw staff treat patients with dignity and respect. Nurses were unwaveringly positive with patients after their surgery and built confidence through their approach.

Staff supported colleagues who worked in the hospital for a different provider when they experienced disruption to their contracts and working lives. We saw kind, compassionate relationships between teams.

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Staff treated people as individuals. They made sure people’s care, support and treatment met their needs and considered any relevant protected equality characteristics. They met people’s communication needs in a way that enabled patients to engage in their care, treatment, and support. This maximised benefits and outcomes.

Patients told us staff had discussed potential side effects and complications with them as part of the consent process and again just before surgery. The team showed people around the ward and theatre ahead of their procedure if this would reduce anxiety.

Staff worked with patients to meet their individual needs, including those relating to culture and religion. For example, the catering manager met specific requests and patients could request a male or female nurse or physiotherapist.

Staff were open and honest when discussing pre-operative requirements with patients, including the need to avoid alcohol and cigarettes, and to use antimicrobial skin cleaner the night before surgery. For example, a patient did not want to use the skin cleaner, and the nurse explained why it was necessary and how it reduced risk during treatment. Another patient was unhappy about having blood tests and wanted to know more about the need for them. Staff explained what the blood tests checked, such as kidney function, and why it was an important part of the safety process. Patients appreciated the efforts of staff to communicate with them as individuals. For example, a recent patient noted the humour of staff as a positive aspect of their treatment and said, “…the banter in theatre really helped.”

Staff demonstrated consistent pain management during each patient's care. They documented regular pain checks in records, and we observed physiotherapists discuss this with each patient during post-operative reviews.

Staff used a telephone language translation service to maintain communication at each step of treatment. We observed this process during our inspection. Nurses worked with the patient and the translator to ensure the pre-operative consent process was fully understood. They gave the patient time to ask questions about treatment, and nurses worked well with the translator to complete risk assessments. Staff maintained their caring and compassionate approach throughout translation and made sure the patient knew they were at the centre of care.

Physiotherapists made sure patients were comfortable during therapy and regularly checked how the person was feeling. They used gentle reassurance where patients found the first stages challenging.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

The ward team facilitated an active and friendly atmosphere, and staff encouraged patients to move around as safely as possible after their procedures to promote effective recovery. Patients gave consistently good feedback about this approach. A recent patient commented,” Staff have excellent communication, and the surgeon did a great job reassuring me and explaining everything.”

Staff asked all patients to complete a post-operative survey that asked about decision-making and choice. In the previous 6 months, 100% of patients said they were involved in decisions about their care

Staff worked with patients to develop treatment and recovery plans in line with their goals and desired outcomes. For example, physiotherapists established information about each person's work life, hobbies, and home activities to ensure recovery exercises would enable them to return to these as quickly as possible. We saw physiotherapists used positive reinforcement to encourage patients to challenge themselves and push their abilities within safe limits.

Staff used communication tools to ensure they promoted choice and control with each patient. For example, the team worked with translators to ensure patients who did not speak English could make their decisions known to the ward team. Physiotherapists used visual communication tools to support patients with verbal speech challenges. Such approaches ensured the service was inclusive and assured independence for each patient.

Radiography staff were legally required to check the pregnancy status of patients before an X-ray. This included those who were female at birth and of childbearing age, including people who were now transgender or non-binary. Posters in the X-ray room and information provided in advance of scans explained this and offered patients appropriate safeguards, such as a private space to chat and assurance that identity information would not be documented without consent.

Staff listened to and understood people’s needs, views, and wishes. They responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Patients told us they were happy with discussions about pain management. We saw patients had access to call bells and nurses showed each person how to use them. The ward team checked on patients regularly and offered drinks and support as needed.

Staff knew how to reduce patient’s anxiety and worries. For example, a patient suddenly became agitated just before intubation. The anaesthetist stopped the process, and the team spent time with the patient to calm their nerves and address their needs.

We saw staff patiently discussed care and treatment and explained things to people in a way they could understand. During a pre-operative electrocardiogram, a patient was interested in the equipment, how it worked, and what the results meant. The nurse explained these areas and gave the patient time to explore their curiosity, which they noted reduced their anxiety.

Patients noted positive experiences during their time in the service. A recent patient noted, “It is rare to find such professionalism with such kindness, caring, and understanding. I found my care and explanations outstanding.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff.

Staff were generally happy and said their wellbeing was mostly good. Leaders responded to staff feedback and implemented changes. Some staff noted frustrations with short-notice shift changes and a reliance on e-learning rather than practical alternatives. The training and development lead post was vacant, and the senior team coordinated training in the interim. The provider had improved training opportunities by introducing practical exercises for moving and handling and resuscitation.

Other than shift changes and training, staff reported a positive working environment, reflected in a low turnover rate and some staff with a long-term commitment to the organisation. For example, a member of staff told us, “I love it here. We’re a small team, like a family, and it’s very supportive.”

The senior team used a range of tools to promote wellbeing appropriate to a team that included a diverse range of contracts and levels of time commitment. This included a practising privilege policy for surgeons and anaesthetists that established expectations of behaviour and respect towards other staff. Where these had not reflected the provider’s values, the senior leadership team investigated and took appropriate action.

Staff said they were motivated by the positive feedback from patients, many of whom were pleased to have health issues addressed after lengthy waiting lists.

Appraisals, supervisions, and one-to-one meetings were focused on staff achievements and empowered them to reflect on their work and identify opportunities for improvement. Records of these meetings reflected a positive, encouraging work environment in which the team were supported to develop and progress.