University Hospital

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

We rated caring as good. We assessed 3 quality statements and found staff treated patients with kindness, empathy and compassion. Staff listened to and understood the needs of the patients they were providing care for. Staff wellbeing was a high priority and this enabled staff to deliver person-centred 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.

People’s experience

The patients we spoke with mostly provided positive feedback about their experience of the service. They were complementary about the care they received. They told us their post operative care was well managed.

However, one patient expressed dissatisfaction with the length of time they were nil by mouth while waiting for surgery due to changes in the procedure schedule.

Relatives we spoke with also shared positive feedback, stating their loved ones received good care.

One patient told us: “the staff work so hard and are very kind” and another told us “It is a first-class service”. Another commented “I am really going to miss the nurses”.

Feedback from staff and leaders

Staff reported that patients were at the centre of everything they did. They focused on treating patients with respect and ensuring their dignity was maintained. Staff also told us they supported patients to be involved in developing their treatment plans.

There were processes to collect and collate patient satisfaction data. The trend and themes from these were used to improve the service. The NHS Friends and Family Test feedback for surgical specialties from March to August 2024 showed between 77 and 85% positive scores with an average of 30% response rate. From April to October 2024, surgical specialities had received 67 compliments. Comments included experience of compassion, respect from staff, positive staff attitude, openness, pride and improvement and care by administrative staff.

Feedback from partners

Feedback from system partners was complementary about the service.

Observation

We observed staff supporting patients with kindness and respect. Their interactions were warm, compassionate, and considerate. Patients shared positive experiences of care, stating that staff listened to them and respected their privacy and dignity.

We did not look at Treating people as individuals during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.

We did not look at Independence, choice and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.

People’s experience

Patients told us they had their individual needs considered when their care was planned. For example, one patient told us they had their cultural needs considered while being cared for. Another patient told us they had access to vegan food whilst being an inpatient.

Feedback from staff and leaders

Staff considered patients' individual care needs when planning their treatment, as reflected in the records we reviewed. Several examples demonstrated this approach, including adjusting the order of the operating list, seeking additional support from the mental health and learning disabilities team, and providing side rooms for patients with sensory challenges.

Observation

During our September 2024 assessment, we observed staff responding to an emergency buzzer call for a post operative patient on Ward 11. Nurses arrived promptly and immediately placed an emergency call to the hospital’s medical emergency team.

Feedback from staff and leaders

Most staff felt supported, respected, and enjoyed working in the surgical service. They believed the trust encouraged their development and that their wellbeing was important to senior leaders.

Trauma and orthopaedics resident doctors shared positive feedback, stating they felt well supported. They described consultants as helpful and accessible, found their experience valuable, and appreciated the opportunities for professional development. They also highlighted strong teamwork within the department.

Consultants from various surgical specialties reported feeling well supported, including by management, which they said was proactive around service development, such as expanding robotic services.

Nursing staff in leadership roles stated they received good support from nurse managers and had positive working relationships with medical staff. Ward-based nursing staff generally expressed job satisfaction, describing their leaders as helpful and supportive.

Processes

Line managers provided support to staff through one-to-one meetings, appraisals, and supervision. Managers held team meetings to provide feedback to staff and listen to their suggestions for improvements. There were effective processes to support staff wellbeing, helping them to continue delivering high-quality care and treatment to patients. Data received in September 2024 showed 86% of staff had an appraisal within the previous 12 months.

The service had a range of staff wellbeing and support measures. There was an employee assistance programme provided by an external company available 24 hours a day. A cost-of-living hub was created for staff to get financial advice and support and access to a range of NHS worker discounts.

A wellbeing café was also introduced for staff. It provided a confidential ‘listening ear’ for staff to express concerns or talk about their morale. Night walks were also set up to ensure night staff had equitable access to the support provided by the café.

The value of laughter was also recognised and ‘Laughtercise’ sessions were delivered to staff. A menopause helpline, access to talking therapy and physical wellbeing support was also available free of charge.

Virtual reality (VR) headsets were also available to staff. The VR headsets offered a variety of experiences between 7 and 10 minutes in duration (such as wildlife, relaxation, space, underwater and cities) and meditative spaces which included guided breathing exercises.