- NHS hospital
Glenfield Hospital
Assessment report published 7 September 2026
Contents
Ratings - Medical care (Including older people's care)
Our view of the service
Glenfield Hospital is a tertiary referral university teaching hospital, run by University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust. The medical care service at Glenfield Hospital provides care and treatment for general medical services and specialist services including in respiratory medicine and cardiac medicine.
We carried out an unannounced inspection of medical care of Glenfield Hospital medical care services on 2 and 3 March 2026 in line with our assessment priorities.
At our last inspection, we rated this service as requires improvement. At this inspection, we found improvements and overall, the service is rated as good.
We assessed all the quality statements from the safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led key questions. We rated all quality statements as good. Glenfield Hospital provided a highly specialised medical care service for cardiology, vascular, respiratory, and nephrology patients. People were safe and cared for in a clean environment. Staff were well trained and knew what to do in emergencies. Overall, we saw a compassionate, confident, calm and highly competent medical care service. We saw many examples of great, person centred, compassionate care. We saw an experienced local leadership team supporting all staff and patients inclusively, with some excellent multidisciplinary (MDT) working across specialties. We noted the excellent holistic and methodical handovers and board rounds, especially on Ward 27. We noted the excellent whole team approach on the Coronary Care Unit (CCU). We noted the well organised and efficient site meeting on the second day of the inspection with a clear focus on safety. Overall, records had been completed to a high standard. We heard of some excellent initiatives including the student placements of three young people with a learning disability and autism. Local leaders were fully sighted on all risks and pressures in their service and had effective governance processes in place to mitigate risks. Lots of examples of innovative practice were demonstrated. Incidents were reviewed and appropriate actions taken in line with trust policy.
However;
Some staff spoke of the limitations of the estate with some wards not having enough space, this was known by the local leadership who were trying to address these long-term issues. We found floor cleaning chemicals were not stored correctly in some wards. However, the trust quickly rectified this when we brought this to the attention of leaders. One fire door was seen to be blocked, but again the trust took immediate actions to address this. Staffing pressures were seen on Wards 15, 28 and 30 but leaders took actions to ensure this was not impacting on the safety and quality of patients’ care.
We looked at 15 sets of patient clinical records; spoke with 34 patients including family members and 63 staff. We visited 7 wards which included the clinical decisions unit (CDU), Coronary Care Unit (CCU), Same Day Emergency Care unit (SDEC) and the cardiology, respiratory, and renal medical wards that provided regulated activities.
We assessed quality statements within each key question. Each quality statement assessed is awarded a score. Details on how we score can be found on our website: https://www.cqc.org.uk/about-us/how-we-do-our-job/ratings
People's experience of this service
Most patients told us staff treated them with kindness, compassion, and dignity. They felt listened to and involved in their care and treatment. Patients, their families and carers spoke highly of staff. They felt staff were approachable, visible, and kind.
Patients, their family, and carers were positive about the care and treatment they received and said their needs were met.