Nightingale Hospital Exeter

Ratings - Diagnostic imaging

• Overall

  Good

• Safe

  Requires improvement

• Effective

  Good

• Caring

  Good

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Good

Our view of the service

The service had a good safety culture. The environment was safe, clean and fit for purpose. The service monitored all people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it and delivered effective evidence-based care and treatment. Staff communicated with patients with genuine kindness and compassion and protected patients’ dignity. The service worked to ensure that everyone could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. The service was well-led and worked hard to share knowledge both locally and nationally.

However, not all staff had received an appraisal, and some staff were not up to date with essential immediate resuscitation training. Senior staff were also unaware of some medicines management procedures which were not in line with best practice.

People's experience of this service

Patients and any family or carers with them were all positive about the staff treating them with warmth and kindness and providing effective care and treatment. They said they were seen quickly when they arrived and directed to the various areas they needed to attend for their appointments or treatment. 

Records showed they were given the tests they needed promptly, and they felt staff were on hand if they needed them for help or support. People said they did not feel anxious about raising concerns. 

Some patients reported transport was an issue as the hospital had no onsite parking. However, the hospital was well served by public transport and a large, free, park and ride facility and shuttle bus. 

Healthwatch had been contacted and informed us they had received very little in the way of feedback regarding this service.