Chippenham Hospital

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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 means we looked for evidence that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

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

The service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and they respected their privacy and dignity. They treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff treated patients and their relatives with kindness, empathy, and compassion, and showed mutual respect toward colleagues.

Staff interactions with patients and those close to them were warm, respectful and considerate. We observed staff introducing themselves and explaining care and treatment, which patients told us they valued as it helped them feel informed and involved.

Communication between staff was calm, professional, and respectful, reflecting good teamwork and a positive culture of support.

Patients spoke positively about their care, describing staff as “very friendly,” “joyful” and “brilliant.” Staff offered support to relatives, and the wards displayed positive feedback from patients and relatives.

We heard examples of compassionate care, including staff going over and above to support patients who did not have any relatives. The hospital’s volunteer team made a positive contribution to the experience of patients, relatives and staff.

We observed there was sufficient space between beds to allow for transfers, privacy and dignity. Staff had drawn curtains around beds when they were supporting people requiring care.

Staff understood and respected the individual needs of each patient and showed understanding and a non-judgmental attitude when caring for or discussing patients with mental health needs.

Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social and religious needs of patients and how they may relate to care needs.

The service treated people as individuals and made sure their care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences, taking into account their strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff treated patients as individuals and ensured care, support and treatment reflected patient’s needs and preferences. Staff took account of patients’ strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff demonstrated a person-centred approach, taking time to understand what mattered most to individuals. One patient told us, “[Staff] always explain things like scans, and they tell me the results” they also said staff explain things really well in a way they understand.

We heard positive examples of personalised care. Staff supported patients living with dementia, tailoring interactions, taking time to talk about their lives and recognising those who attended regularly. Staff were able to meet people’s care needs, including ordering the correct equipment to enable comfortable care delivery whilst they were on the wards.

Staff described involving families in care discussions, supporting them with appropriate reassurance and care. Relatives told us, “The speak to you like an ordinary person and which is what we want.”

Staff communicated effectively using clear language and communication aids, with access to interpretation services and electronic devices.

Staff provided positive examples of meeting dietary and cultural needs, with individual menu boards displaying preferences, modified diets and feeding support requirements. Most patients gave positive feedback about food quality and choice. “Food is excellent and I’m eating all the fruit. I have a good appetite now like I use to have.”

We observed staff support patients who became distressed in an open environment and helped them to maintain their privacy and dignity.

Ward round discussions demonstrated tailored discharge planning, with efforts made to plan discharges to residential homes close to patients’ home areas.

Ward environments were personalised and supportive, with care-related information displayed.

The service promoted people’s independence, so they knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff supported patients to make informed decisions about their own care, treatment, and wellbeing. There was a clear emphasis on respecting individual preferences and involving patients in planning and reviewing their care.

Care and treatment options were clearly explained and care records showed documented involvement of patients and families in care planning.

Staff enabled patients with limited mobility to move around the service safely. Staff encouraged people to do as much as possible for themselves and only stepped in if the person was at risk of unbalancing. We heard staff praising the efforts of people.

We observed another patient, who was living with Dementia, becoming distressed. Staff spoke to the person kindly, put a reassuring arm around them and guided them to where they wanted to go.

We observed ward rounds where patients were actively involved in discussions. Nursing and therapy staff explained treatment options, and patients and relatives said they felt comfortable asking questions and were involved in decisions.

Staff shared positive examples of promoting independence. Patients had protected mealtimes to support their dignity.

The 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.

Staff listened to and understood patients’ immediate needs and responded promptly to minimise discomfort or distress. Staff were vigilant to changes in patients’ conditions and escalated concerns appropriately.

People told us they were provided with all the medical equipment they needed, for example hoist and commode. Staff took the time to look after them and would sit and comfort them when they needed it.

People told us support was available during the night, and they did not experience long waits for assistance.

Ward managers described initiating one‑to‑one observations or cohorting when required to maintain patient safety. Staff shared examples of effective escalation and timely clinical response, with appropriate referrals to specialist teams, including safeguarding and therapy services.

Therapy teams attended daily to assess, support and plan care. We observed therapists reviewing patients. Therapy staff adapted schedules to meet patients’ needs, including supporting intensive interventions and carried out home assessments.

Staff regularly assessed and monitored patients for pain and provided timely care. Care records showed pain assessments were accurately recorded as part of NEWS monitoring and pain relief was given in a timely manner.

The service did not always promote the wellbeing of their staff.

Some staff across roles told us they felt respected, supported and valued, and were confident to ask for help. However, others described the recent community-based care transformation as challenging. Some staff reported they did not always understand the reasons for decisions affecting how they worked, which had negatively impacted morale and wellbeing.

Staff remained committed to prioritising patient care, although some told us they did not feel consistently supported by leadership during this period of change. The registered manager acknowledged the first phase of the transformation had been challenging, as 2,300 colleagues joined from nine different organisations as part of the wider organisation. Work was ongoing to address capacity pressures, clarify roles, align skill mix and support staff through a significant programme of organisational change. A colleague engagement strategy was in place for this year (which is part of the services care transformation).

Managers and senior staff were visible and approachable, supporting teamwork and shared responsibility for patient outcomes. Staff reported access to senior clinical support, and regular teaching sessions and training delivered by advanced clinical practitioners were well attended.

Staff had access to a wide range of wellbeing initiatives, including occupational health and a wellbeing platform.

Additional initiatives included engagement with the senior leaders, staff networks and wellbeing activities, such as schemes recognising staff contribution and development.