- NHS hospital
Wexham Park Hospital
Assessment report published 28 August 2025
Contents
Ratings - Urgent and emergency services
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 11 March - 12 March 2025
This inspection was part of the commissions system pathway pressure programme where we inspected medical care and urgent and emergency care (UEC) services.
The urgent and emergency service was outstanding at the last inspection, we assessed 24 quality statements across the safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led key questions. We have combined the scores for these areas with scores from the last inspection to give the rating. We believe the quality of care has remained the same, meaning the rating has not changed.
At this assessment, we found that the urgent and emergency care service had a positive learning safety culture based on openness and honestly, where events were investigated, and learning was shared and embedded to promote good practice and continuous improvement. There were established safe systems of care in which safety was monitored and assured. There were processes to manage patient risk. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. Staff had effective and embedded understanding in how to protect patients from abuse. The environment was safe and well maintained, equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. The service practiced high standards of infection prevention and control. There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced people, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together effectively to provide safe care. Medicine management was safe and met people's needs.
We found the service planned and delivered people's care and treatment in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards. The service worked effectively across teams and services to support people. Electronic systems were used successfully to share patient's assessment of needs when they moved between different services. People's care and treatment was routinely monitored to continuously improve it. The ensured outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they meet both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves. The service understood people's rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.
We found the service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion. However, people's privacy and dignity was sometimes compromised when demand out grew capacity of the department. People's needs were listened to and staff responded to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. The service greatly cared about and promoted the wellbeing of staff. Staff were supported to enable them to always deliver safe and quality care for patients.
We found the service made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and decided, in partnership with them, how to respond to any relevant changes in their needs. The service provided appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats tailored to individual needs. The service had systems and processes in place to make sure everyone could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. However, due to challenges with flow in the hospital patients did not always have access to care and treatment when they needed it and experienced long waits and overcrowding.
We found that leaders ran services effectively using best practice systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff understood the service's vision and values, and these were fully embedded in their working practices. Staff were motivated to provide the best care they could for their patients. There was a shared purpose on improving the quality and sustainability of care and people's experiences. Staff were proud to work at the service, there was strong collaborative team working and staff felt respected, supported and valued. Staff at all levels were clear about their roles and accountabilities. Leaders operated effective governance processes and used innovative approaches to drive and improve the delivery of high-quality person-centred care. The service engaged well with patients, staff and the local community to plan and manage services. Strategies and plans fully aligned with plans for the wider health economy and leaders demonstrated commitment to system-wide collaboration.
People's experience of this service
People who used the service told us they were treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. They spoke with high regards about staff and said they were listened to and communicated with in ways which suited their needs. Patients commented on how the staff remained calm, composed, and cheerful even when under the pressure of a busy and overcrowded department. The majority of people said they were keep informed of what was happening and positive about the care and treatment they had received.
However, patients who were being cared for in the corridors of the department felt least informed about their care and treatment and less able to disturb staff to ask for support.