Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital - The Chesterfield

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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

We looked for evidence that patients were treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. We assessed the levels of patient’s privacy and dignity afforded to patients. We asked patients to tell us about their experiences, if they were respected, and how they were treated. We also looked for evidence that every effort was made to take patient’s wishes into account and respect their choices, to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant patients 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 evidence showed a good standard. The service 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 demonstrated a consistently caring and compassionate approach towards patients. Interactions between staff and patients were positive and respectful. Staff introduced themselves and maintained a professional, reassuring manner throughout. Patients told us staff treated them well and acted professionally.

Feedback from patients was positive and reflected a kind and compassionate approach to care. Patient survey results from April 2026 showed 86% of respondents agreed “yes, definitely” when asked if they felt they were treated with respect and dignity while they were in the hospital.

Staff maintained the confidentiality of information about patients. Information about individual patients was stored on the provider’s electronic recording system. Patients spoke with staff in individual consulting rooms and information could not be overheard.

The provider participated in Patient-Led Assessment of the Care Environment, which is a review of the care environment from patients and staff. In 2025 the hospital scored higher than the national and provider average for privacy, dignity and wellbeing.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences.

Patient’s individual needs and preferences were identified and respected. Staff took time to understand patient’s needs, and these were reflected in their care and support. For example, staff told us how they support patients who do not like to be in busy waiting rooms by booking an empty consultation room in advance for them to wait in.

Staff told us some information leaflets could be translated into different languages or provided in large print but different formats such as easy-read were not always available. The service planned to complete a review of patient facing materials and consider where accessibility of information could be improved.

Staff had completed training in equality, diversity, and human rights, as well as autism awareness and learning disability awareness, which formed part of the mandatory training programme. This supported staff to provide person-centred, inclusive, and responsive care to meet individual needs.

The service used a health passport for autistic people, which provided essential information for healthcare professionals. It outlined how the patient preferred to communicate, how they experienced and expressed pain, and any known triggers or challenges, along with strategies to help reduce distress. This supported staff to deliver care that was tailored, sensitive, and responsive to individual needs.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Patients were supported to have choice and control over their own care and to make decisions about their care, treatment and wellbeing. Patients were supported to understand their rights by using different ways to communicate.

Patients could be supported by family or friends during their consultation. Patients were offered a chaperone, and posters in patient areas highlighted this option. Chaperones helped maintain dignity during intimate examinations or procedures and provided emotional reassurance.

Patients were offered choice regarding their treatment options and were supported to make informed decisions about their care. A patient told us they felt involved in the decision-making process and staff had “…given advice and asked what I want to do”.

Staff provided patients with clear, accessible information about what to expect before treatment and how to prepare. We observed both medical and nursing staff taking time to explain treatment options in a straightforward way, checking each patient’s understanding and ensuring they felt fully informed.

The evidence showed a good standard. 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.

The environment supported comfort and convenience, with hot drink machines and water coolers available in waiting areas for patients and relatives. Patients were directed to speak to a member of staff if they had been waiting for longer than 15 minutes.

Staff were able to respond appropriately to patients who showed signs of deterioration. Staff were also trained in de-escalation techniques.

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

Staff had access to a wide range of wellbeing, health, and financial support. They were able to use the provider’s gyms to promote physical and mental wellbeing, and the hospital had designated wellbeing champions that were trained mental health first aiders available to support colleagues.

Staff achievements were actively recognised and celebrated within the service. Daily huddles gave service leads the opportunity to acknowledge good practice and highlight individual contributions. Managers could also nominate staff for rewards. There were events such as summer parties, Christmas parties, and quizzes, that helped to foster a positive and supportive team culture.

Staff were able to provide feedback anonymously through surveys. Staff said leaders listened to their views and they received feedback from the surveys. We saw evidence that 83% of staff had participated in the most recent Peakon survey. The service had identified focus areas and key themes with actions including increasing learning opportunities in monthly meetings.

Staff felt supported and confident to provide feedback. They told us leaders were approachable and they could raise concerns and suggest ways to improve the service or staff experiences.