Clifton Park Hospital 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

At our last assessment CQC rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating remained good. This meant people felt well-supported, cared for or treated with dignity and respect.

We looked for evidence people were always treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. We checked people’s privacy and dignity was respected, and they understood their experience of how they were treated and supported mattered. We also looked for evidence every effort was made to take people’s wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We always treat people with kindness, empathy and compassion and we respect their privacy and dignity. We treat colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff respected and upheld patient’s privacy and dignity during their care or treatment. For example, they used ‘do not disturb’ signs on doors to rooms where blood sampling took place.

Staff took time to interact with patients and those close to them respectfully and responsively. We observed the OPD manager carry out a local anesthetic steroid injection in a treatment room. They gave considerate and compassionate care to the patient throughout the procedure.

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

We treat people as individuals and make sure their care, support and treatment meets their needs and preferences. We take account of their strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

The department’s main waiting area desk had a dementia-friendly centrally positioned clock. This helped patients who were confused or cognitively impaired and their carers or loved ones know if their appointments ran on time.

We promote people’s independence, so they know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment and well being.

Staff gave patients and those close to them help, emotional support and advice when they needed it. For example, they offered patients chaperones, if they wanted someone to accompany them to appointments. We heard this service was well used.

Staff understood the emotional and social impact a person’s care, treatment or condition had on their well being.

We listen to and understand people’s needs, views and wishes. We respond to these in that moment and will act to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Managers planned and organised services to meet the local population’s changing needs. The department was adding capacity to meet demand. For example, by completing a minor operations room. We heard examples of how Outpatient Department (OPD) staff and consultants tailored resources for outpatients. These included communication tools and information resources.

The service had systems to help care for patients in need of additional support or specialist intervention. Staff would capture any individual needs patients had on their medical questionnaire. We heard examples of OPD staff supporting and entertaining children accompanying adult patients who needed substantial aftercare.

We heard about an example a week before our assessment. A patient with autism presented at main reception unable to complete questionnaire alone. The OPD manager ensured a staff member was available to help them complete the form. They also reassured them of what to expect at their appointment.

The new pain service consultant could also extend appointment times to patients with learning disabilities or dementia. This meant they could clearly explain to patients the nature and concepts of pain in ways to help them understand. They could tailor consultations to meet specific needs in a calm environment. This service added capacity, accessibility and options for patients in response to proven local demand. The consultant collaborated with existing services such as orthopaedics onsite to reduce their post-operative patient’s chronic pain.

The OPD team also accommodated outpatients’ mental health needs and mobility issues. One anxious patient attended clinic with mental health issues. The patient reported being made to feel calm and supported by staff.

Staff asked patients waiting for their preferred listening or viewing choices. A popular radio station played in the waiting area. Staff could play a video where knee consultants explained about robotic knee replacements.

Patients, relatives and carers told us they knew how to complain or raise concerns. The service clearly displayed information on how to do this in patient areas.

The OPD received no formal complaints in the 12 months before our assessment. Leads would communicate any complaints received through the customer focus group. They would enact any opportunities identified from hospital wide complaints to enhance the patient experience.

We care about and promote the well being of our staff, and we support and enable them to always deliver person centred care.

Outpatient Department (OPD) staff told us they were not overworked, and their workloads were manageable.

The OPD was committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and engaging workplace culture. Leads actively encouraged suggestions from all OPD teams to help them continuously improve the working environment and enhance staff well being.

Employees could share their ideas and feedback through several accessible channels. This included staff suggestion boxes in the department’s staff room. These were available for anonymous submissions on any topic related to workplace improvement.

OPD leads and staff could attend the hospital’s quarterly staff engagement group (SEG). This forum allowed their department representative to bring forward suggestions from their teams. Employees were encouraged to share ideas with their representative before each meeting.

Any staff suggestions from 1-2-1 meetings with line managers could be raised during individual meetings. These were escalated to the appropriate forum, such as the Heads of Department meeting, the SEG, or the daily morning huddle. Suggestions submitted were reviewed before each SEG meeting. Leads recorded relevant actions in an action log. They also included them in meeting minutes to ensure accountability and follow-through.

Departmental feedback had been integrated into the provider’s people and culture strategy. This was alongside insights from OPD staff’s participation in the annual colleague survey. This ensured a holistic approach to staff wellbeing and engagement.

The OPD adopted a transparent ‘You said, we did’ approach to staff feedback. We saw these posters displayed in staff areas.

The service implemented ‘you said we did’ actions such as introducing contact slips in pre-operative assessment. This meant patients with any queries could contact nurses and receive responses quicker and easier. Staff had also installed a coffee machine to improve patient experience in the waiting area.

We heard the example of several department team members sharing their experience of menopause-related symptoms. This feedback prompted a wider conversation about how the hospital could better support colleagues during this life stage. Leads proposed a dedicated support session to provide a safe space for discussion, peer support, and well being resources. They took follow up actions, such as delivering a tailored wellness session focused on menopause awareness and workplace well being. OPD staff attendees received the session positively. They reported feeling heard, validated and could spoke more openly about menopause-related challenges in the workplace. The session reduced stigma and encouraged peer support among colleagues.

During our assessment the hospital was exploring the development of a Menopause Support Toolkit. SEG members and leads were considering similar and regular well being sessions more widely.