The Royal Bournemouth 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

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

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

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 respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Patients across various surgical wards praised staff’s kindness, compassion, and respect, highlighting positive experiences within the hospital. In the discharge lounge, a gentleman described his hospital experience as “life-enhancing”, emphasising the caring nature of the nurses, thorough explanations given, and prompt responses to call bells.

On an orthopaedic ward, 4 patients we spoke with expressed gratitude for the staff’s attentiveness to pain management, and clear communication. Similarly, they further noted the “enthusiasm” and “outstanding” care. One patient highlighted their appreciation to the porters, for providing reassurance and comfort during a distressing time. The consistent theme across patient testimonies was the genuine care and compassion demonstrated by staff, reinforcing their dedication to patient well-being.

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. Staff took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

This assessment revealed evidence of personalised patient care. Patients consistently reported respectful and clear communication, affirming their dignity was upheld and they were actively involved in decisions regarding their treatment. A key factor contributing to this was the holistic aspect of care planning which included understanding each patient’s unique personal, cultural, and social background. This allowed for treatments to be tailored to individual needs.

After reviewing patient care plans and gathering direct feedback, we concluded the Trust effectively delivered fair and individualised care, prioritising patient well-being and their right to make their own choices.

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

We found several examples of how patients were given independence, choice, and control during their hospital stay. For example, when patients were preparing for discharge, co-ordinators prioritised their wishes throughout the process. To personalise care, staff used tools like ‘this is me’ booklets, interpreter apps on electronic devices, and whiteboards for deaf patients, tailoring communication to individual needs.

On a surgical ward, following patient complaints about missing belongings, staff implemented a daily property checklist to empower patients regarding their possessions. Additionally, flexible visiting hours, mealtime support, and car park allowances demonstrated attempts to accommodate individual preferences. Care plan reviews confirmed the inclusion of property lists, next of kin information, and accessible information standards, ensuring patient preferences were documented. Consent forms for surgery were checked, confirming informed decision-making.

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.

During our review of data provided, we looked at the results of call bell audits, which showed how well staff responded to patients' immediate needs. We found health and safety checks were done using the Health and Safety Audit Tool (HASAT) for 2024/25. The HASAT is a tool NHS hospitals use to check they are following health and safety regulations. Specifically, the Surgery Department followed these rules 92.9% of the time, with the Head and Neck, Trauma and Orthopaedics, and Anaesthetics Departments followed them 100% of the time. This meant staff consistently checked the call bell systems as they should. This high level of compliance shows the hospital has a strong system for quickly responding to patients' needs and keeping them safe in these surgical areas.

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

The hospital’s approach to workforce well-being and enablement revealed a mixed picture. On the positive side, staff in orthopaedic theatres expressed feeling valued and supported. The Trust fostered a sense of community and recognition through initiatives like the ‘Thank You’ app and newsletters that celebrated staff achievements, such as the Black History Month celebration and fundraising efforts.

Staff had access to over 22 support networks via the intranet, covering mental health, racial equality, and carer support.

However, feedback from staff identified a lack of adequate break facilities on some surgical areas. Staff told us and we observed, they often had their breaks in small, cramped changing rooms or in hospital corridors. We highlighted this to the hospital’s leadership who told us rest spaces for staff would improve once building works were complete. In the meantime, leaders suggested staff use the public atrium, which staff told us they found overcrowded, the staff restaurants and meeting rooms which had been made available.

Additionally, Band 6 and 7 staff reported difficulty balancing clinical and managerial duties due to staffing shortages, leading to regular unpaid overtime and raising concerns about burnout and unsustainable work practices.

To understand staff sentiment within the surgical service, we analysed their latest staff survey results. There was a high response rate across all categories, as such the data provided a reliable overview of employee experiences, effectively highlighting both the group’s strengths and areas needing attention. For example, the findings showed strong positive perceptions in areas like teamwork, staff engagement, and compassion. However, recognition, learning opportunities, and overall morale scored lower.