GenesisCare Centre for Radiotherapy at Cromwell Hospital

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

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. Staff responded to people in a timely way. The service supported staff wellbeing. However, a staff survey that collected centre level data had not been completed for more than a year and showed the service was below the organisation’s national average in all positive score percentages.

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

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.

The service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity.

Assessment findings:

Patients we spoke with during our visit demonstrated that the service treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff took time to explain conditions and treatment options with kindness and compassion. We were told by patients we spoke with that consultations and interactions with the service prior to visiting, had helped to allay any anxiousness. We were told by patients that staff understood their individual needs and preferences and had adapted their approach with kindness. This had helped to make their treatment a positive experience.

Patient survey results showed a satisfaction rate of 89%. Free text boxes allowed for comments. Patients were complimentary about the kindness and compassion that had been shown to them by staff. They mentioned staff by name and that they had always been treated with dignity and respect.

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences.

Assessment findings:

People’s individual needs and preferences were understood and reflected in their treatment plans and how the service interacted with them. Assessments included communication and psychological needs which were reviewed at all stages of treatment. People’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs were understood and met. This included provision of information in different languages, access to interpreters and food preferences. The quiet room offered people a peaceful space and was used for sensitive conversations. It also contained a prayer box which included a prayer mat, Quran, Bible and holy scriptures. The patient waiting area was spacious with helpful information available and on display. Snacks, tea, coffee and water were freely available.

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

Assessment findings:

The service promoted people's choice and involvement in their care. Staff discussed treatment with patients and provided information at all stages of the referral and treatment process. This included individual treatment plans and outcomes. Patients told us that staff were helpful in keeping them informed about their treatment throughout their time with the service. We observed staff being helpful and informative by answering questions so that patients could make an informed choice.

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.

Assessment findings:

Patients were offered a 30-minute simulation appointment to help assess patient needs during treatment. This was particularly good for patients who were nervous about treatment or claustrophobic. Patients told us they were given opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification regarding any aspect of their treatment at every stage of the process, including during treatment. Radiographers were witnessed as being flexible on changing treatment times to suit patients. Patient assessments included anxiety, well-being and mental health assessments. The administrative team called each patient the day before their first visit to confirm the appointment and asked if any further assistance would be needed on the day of their visit.

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to deliver person-centred care. However, staff survey results were all lower than the national Genesis average.

Assessment findings:

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff. Benefits of working for the service included private medical and dental insurance and free radiotherapy for employees and their immediate families. There was adequate space for staff to take rest as well as access to a canteen. Wellbeing and lifestyle packages were available and included eye care vouchers and discounted gym memberships. A new staff rota system had recently been introduced as a result of feedback from staff which gave staff more advanced notice of shift patterns. This supported more flexible working agreements to account for personal circumstances.

A company-wide staff survey had been carried out in March 2025 and was conducted in support of GenesisCare's entry to the Sunday Times best places to work list. It was not possible to break results down to the location but showed that nationally, the organisation scored highly for a sense of pride, job satisfaction and good reward and recognition. Staff told us they were proud of their work and dedicated to providing good patient care.

We were provided with the most recent staff survey for the location, from June 2024. This was more than a year ago and pre-dated the cultural issues identified during our assessment. The June 2024 staff survey identified a response rate of 38%. It covered eight categories. The highest positive scores were for overall engagement and a sense of purpose (68 and 57% respectively). However, all eight were down on the previous year's positive score percentage and all were lower than the national Genesis average. `Overall, I am satisfied with decisions made at Genesis' and `I believe meaningful action will be taken as a result of this survey' scored the lowest positive score percentages of 13% for each.