Hull Royal Infirmary

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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

At our last inspection we rated this key question as good and this rating has remained the same at this assessment. This meant people were supported and treated with respect and involved in their care.

We found that care was consistently kind, compassionate and person centred. Staff treated patients and their families with dignity and respect, communicated sensitively, and took time to understand what mattered to each individual. Interactions were warm, supportive, and reassuring, and patients spoke positively about the care they received. Teams demonstrated a clear culture of caring, with staff showing empathy for one another and collaborating closely to create a positive and supportive environment.

Find out what we look at when we assess this area in our information about our new Single assessment framework.

Staff treated patients and their relatives with kindness, empathy, and compassion, and showed mutual respect toward colleagues.

Staff interactions with patients and those close to them were consistently positive, respectful, and considerate. We observed staff introducing themselves and explaining care and treatment. The trust’s 2024 adult inpatient survey recorded high trust wide scores of 9.2/10 for respect and dignity and 9.1/10 for kindness and compassion.

Patients spoke positively about their care describing staff as kind, attentive, knowledgeable and provided good care.

Family and friends feedback included comments such as “the care was good and the staff brilliant” and “nurses are really attentive and friendly”. We also reviewed multiple good news stories that demonstrated outstanding patient and family experiences.

Communication between staff was calm, professional, and respectful, reflecting good teamwork and a positive culture of mutual support.

Patients had access to call bells, which were linked to a central display system to alert staff.

We observed staff maintaining patients’ privacy and dignity through the appropriate use of curtains when providing personal care or holding conversations, and patients reported no concerns regarding privacy or dignity. The trust wide patient survey scored 9.5 out of 10 for privacy during examinations and treatment.

Staff treated patients as individuals and ensured care, support and treatment reflected patient’s needs and preferences. Staff took account of patients’ strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Most patients told us staff were “very caring” and that they “couldn’t fault the staff”. Some patients also reported that staff recognised them from previous visits, which helped them feel reassured and valued.

Staff supported personalised care by using the “Butterfly Scheme” to discreetly identify patients living with dementia or those who may be experiencing delirium. This enabled staff to recognise when individuals might require additional support and adjust care accordingly, while maintaining dignity and respect.

We heard positive examples of personalised care, including one patient who told us that during a procedure staff were “very professional, but also treated me like a human and put me at ease”.

Ward environments were personalised and supportive, with care related information clearly displayed. Staff communicated effectively using clear language and communication aids and had access to interpretation services including British Sign Language, video translation and electronic devices. Face to face interpreters were arranged when required.

Staff gave positive examples of meeting patients’ dietary needs. Clear signage identified individual requirements such as modified diets or nil by mouth status. Red trays and jugs were used for patients requiring assistance, water was available and replenished at each bedside, refreshments were offered twice daily with snacks available, and most patients gave positive feedback about food choice.

Patients waiting in the discharge lounge received hot meals if they were in bed, and snacks or sandwiches if waiting in the seated area.

Oncology patients had access to counselling services.

Visiting hours were extended in July 2025 by one hour (11am to 8pm), and care partners were able to access wards flexibly to support patients during times of need.

Staff supported patients to make informed decisions about their own care, treatment, and wellbeing. There was a clear emphasis on respecting individual preferences and involving patients in planning and reviewing their care.

Care records showed documented involvement of patients and families in care planning.

The trust’s 2024 inpatient survey showed high scores for staff involving patients in conversations and decisions about their care. Scores were lower for discharge planning and family involvement, which the trust had recognised and was addressing. Some patients reported being less aware of their discharge plans, highlighting an area for improvement.

Wards did not always use protected mealtimes because families and relatives were welcomed to assist patients with eating and drinking, which staff told us was an important part of supporting patient wellbeing.

Patients had access to electronic devices to maintain contact with relatives.

The trust organised Fit4Life events, which provided opportunities for the public to receive advice and support to improve their wellbeing, including smoking cessation, healthy lifestyle choices, prevention of serious ill health, and participation in cancer screening programmes.

Staff listened to and understood patients’ immediate needs and responded promptly to minimise discomfort or distress. Staff were vigilant to changes in patients’ conditions and escalated concerns appropriately.

Staff shared examples of effective escalation and timely clinical response, with appropriate referrals to specialist teams.

Staff confirmed therapy teams attended daily to assess, support and plan care.

Patients were able to use call bells to request assistance, and we observed these being answered promptly; however, some patients reported experiencing slight delays in staff responding especially during the night time.

Staff regularly assessed and monitored patients for pain. Care records showed pain assessments were accurately recorded as part of NEWS monitoring.

The trust’s 2024 inpatient survey scored 8.8/10 for staff doing everything they could to control pain.

The service generally promoted staff wellbeing and enabled staff to deliver person centred care.

Staff told us they felt respected, supported and valued, and described a generally positive culture, although some exceptions were noted. Staff were proud of the services they worked in and remained focused on providing the best possible care for patients. They were motivated and committed to both patient care and the ongoing development of the service.

A successful staff engagement event had recently been held, with a focus on identifying themes for the executive team to take forward as actions to support service improvement and enhance patient care.

Staff also told us that the trust offered flexible working arrangements. When staff required time off for personal reasons, managers accommodated this and were considerate of individual needs, which staff felt supported their wellbeing and work–life balance.

However, some staff reported that uncertainty about the long term future of wards they worked on such as the discharge lounge and recent leadership changes had negatively affected morale and wellbeing. Staff described redeployment across wards to backfill staffing shortages as “soul destroying”, explaining that staffing levels were already stretched and this reduced opportunities for administrative time, job satisfaction and staff development.

Managers delivered annual appraisals and supported staff development, although data showed that care groups did not always meet the trust’s appraisal target, indicating areas for improvement.

The trust had trained 220 Professional Nurse Advocates, who provided wellbeing support including counselling referrals, occupational health access and support for newly qualified nurses. Staff also had access to a wide range of wellbeing initiatives, including occupational health, psychology and counselling services, and a wellbeing platform.

The trust’s Putting People First programme, shaped by staff survey feedback, supported workforce wellbeing through improved communication, wellbeing support, and reward and recognition. Additional initiatives included stress management and resilience training, engagement with senior leaders, staff networks, wellbeing activities such as a choir, and schemes recognising staff contribution and development. We saw wellbeing boards in neurology displaying staff “moments of joy” and a “pet wall of fame”, which staff told us helped boost morale.

Facilities to support wellbeing were available, including spaces for quiet reflection and prayer. The trust also provided assurance that staff wellbeing was supported through proactive flu vaccination delivery, with ward based visits to maximise uptake and hospital wide “Stay strong, get vaccinated” posters reinforcing key health messages.

The trust demonstrated recognition of staff contribution through formal reward and recognition schemes, including Golden Stars awards, which enabled staff to nominate individuals or teams. The Frailty Team received the “Outstanding Clinical Team” award in 2025. Shining Star awards encouraged peer recognition, with staff nominating colleagues who were acknowledged through personalised cards, supporting morale and a positive workplace culture.