Warwick Hospital

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

We looked for evidence that people and communities were always at the centre of how care was planned and delivered. We checked that the health and care needs of people and communities were understood, and they were actively involved in planning care that met these needs. We also looked for evidence that people could access care in ways that met their personal circumstances and protected equality characteristics.

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

We have not awarded this service a score for Responsive.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Responsive.

The service made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

Patients who used services were involved in planning and making shared decisions about their care and treatment, so it is centred around them and their needs.

Staff monitored patients’ personal needs including mobility, pain and dietary requirements. We reviewed 6 patient records and found daily documentation from the SPCT, nursing and medical staff about ward rounds, medication, patients’ care and treatment and discussions with relatives. These were updated daily and more often if the patient condition changed.

We heard conversations with SPCT and ward staff about immediate changes required to patients care due to their deterioration. These were actioned and documentation updated.

Patients’ communication needs were assessed and met to maximise the effectiveness of their care and treatment. Translation services were available for people whose first language was not English. Staff knew how to access this service.

The mortuary had appropriate facilities for bariatric and paediatric cases.

The service had good understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

Patients’ care and treatment was delivered in a way that met their assessed needs. The SPCT worked collaboratively with other providers to ensure that services were responsive to the needs of the patients.

Staff understood patients’ personal, cultural and religious needs. Care was provided in line with national guidelines for the provision of palliative and end of life care. Multidisciplinary teams worked together to ensure treatment was coordinated and joined up. There was a daily call with the SPCT, other local trusts, community services and hospices to review patients needs and capacity.

There was continuity in people’s care and treatment. All local services used the IPOC care plan to ensure continuity of care and information was shared.

Patients accessing one part of the service were routinely signposted to other parts of the service. The SPCT team, ward teams, bereavement team and chaplaincy team communicated well to share patient information and any support for the patient and families.

The mortuary and portering staff worked closely with the ward staff when transferring a deceased patient to the mortuary. Staff told us they had specific training and would prioritise this transfer. They used a closed trolley when transferring a deceased patient to maintain privacy and dignity.

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

People had access to information and advice that was accurate, up-to-date and provided in a way they could understand and met their communication needs.

Translation services were available for people whose first language was not English. Staff knew how to access this service.

There was a patient and relative information leaflet about Being with Someone who is Dying. The leaflet provided useful telephone numbers and information on what to expect such as changes in skin, consciousness, sleeping, breathing and pain.

Bereaved families were provided with a leaflet which contained information on how to contact the bereavement office and mortuary, registering a death and the death certificate, arranging funerals and accessing wills and personal belongings. The bereavement team supported families after the death of a loved one. They contacted the family and informed them of the next steps to take and advice on funeral arrangements and support the family with arrangements.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

Patients knew how to give feedback about their experiences of care and support including how to raise any concerns or issues.

There was a trust complaints policy and staff could access this online. Complaints were discussed at the daily daily board round and relevant ward staff. There had been 5 complaints relating to patients receiving end of life or palliative care in the last 12 months. Complaints were mainly about prescribing of medication. We saw complaints were investigated and action plans in place, including training.

The NACEL audit showed that the trust was similar or scored higher in all areas, compared to other trusts in the Midlands. The audit included information such as access to pain relief, support with eating and drinking, quality of care and emotional support.

The trust had developed its own feedback tool and results would be available in January 2026.

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

Patients could expect their care, treatment and support to be accessible, timely. It was delivered in line with best practice, quality standards and legal requirements.

People could access care, treatment and support when they needed to and in a way that worked for them. New referrals were reviewed daily by the SPCT Monday to Friday. The on call consultant was available out of hours for urgent telephone clinical advice. Referrals could be made by phone, emails and when staff visited a ward. A member of the SPCT would visit the ward to review the patient and family needs and feedback to the team on actions taken and next steps. Every patient referred to the SPCT would be discussed at the MDT handover meeting and listed at the weekly integrated hospital/ community/ hospice MDT meeting for handover or discussion as appropriate.

Every patient referred to the SPCT would be discussed at the daily MDT meeting to ensure people with the most urgent need were prioritised.

The chapel and multifaith rooms were open 24 hours a day, this was a quiet space for anyone to use. Other faith leaders could be contacted as required.

The emergency department had a dedicated room for end of life patients and for patients that died in the department. There was a relatives room next door. Staff told us relatives could use the rooms for as long as required to sit with their loved ones.

There was a bereavement suite and viewing room in the mortuary. There was dedicated parking for families and a separate entrance for families to access the mortuary.

In the past 12 months that had been 734 patients referred to the palliative care team. The SPCT would see 89% of all patients referred within 48 hours. Senior leaders were reviewing the strategy for the team and referrals to ensure they were appropriate.

Prompt discharges could be arranged for patients who wanted to be at home or in a community setting at the end of life. There were discharge checklists for both nursing and medical staff to use in the last weeks of life to ensure all referrals, care, treatment, medication and equipment was available.

All staff were committed to ensuring equitable access, outcomes, and experiences for all patients, including those with learning disabilities (LD), autism, dementia, and mental health needs. Staff had received specific training and had access to specialist teams for support and advice. The learning disability team would visit the patient and family with the SPCT to review any reasonable adjustments and ensure decisions were made in the best interest for the patient.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

The service had processes and policies in place which ensured patients were treated in line with requirements under the NHS constitution and legal and human rights. Staff told us reasonable adjustments were made when required. The processes in place ensured that patients were not discriminated against and ensured that care and treatment was equitable for all.

Staff received appropriate training in equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

Patients and families were supported to make informed choices about their care and treatment. Patients we spoke with felt the information they were given was clear and accurate and provided in a way they could understand. Patients were supported to make informed choices about their care and plan for the future.

Staff had been trained in advanced communication skills and were skilled in conducting conversations about future care. Patients all had personalised care and treatment plans to suit their needs and wishes.

Staff had received training in challenging and difficult conversations. The information and conversation were part of the individual plan of care for the dying person and RESPECT forms which included resuscitation decisions.

all staff had access to decision about future care and treatment. These forms were shared with other local trusts, GPs, community services and hospices when the patient was moved to another provider to ensure continuity of care and prevent the patient and family repeating information.