HCA Healthcare UK Leaders in Oncology Care

This is the first time we rated this location. We rated it as outstanding because:

• Staff went above and beyond to treat patients with compassion and kindness. The service was orientated towards respecting patients’ privacy and dignity. Staff took account of their individual needs and helped them understand their conditions. Patients and their families were provided with emotional support through a variety of support services. Despite the outpatient nature of the service, patients and their families had access to a wide selection of complementary therapies such as massage, aromatherapy and reiki. A wide range of psychological therapies was available dependent on patient choice and requirements. Mindfulness, relaxation and exercise sessions were available virtually for those who needed additional support at home.
• The service planned care to meet the needs of the people who used it, took account of patients’ and their families individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it and waited minimally for treatment. As the service was part of an independent provider it was under no obligation to monitor waiting times for patients but did so in order to improve the service.
• The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. They managed medicines well. The service managed safety incidents well and learnt lessons from them.
• Staff provided good care and treatment, gave patients enough to eat and drink, and gave them pain relief when they needed it. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients, advised them on how to lead healthier lives, and supported them to make decisions about their care. Key services were available seven days a week across provider sites where required.
• Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff understood the service’s vision and values, and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities. The service engaged well with patients and local organisations to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

However:

• At the time of inspection, not all staff had completed the required level of life support training.
• There were seven nursing vacancies across the service at the time of inspection, although the service had enough nursing and support staff to keep patients safe as staffing was shared between the three sister sites. The service demonstrated it was actively recruiting into these vacancies with a number of initiatives, and senior staff provided clinical cover where required.
• Two patient records we viewed did not include a holistic needs assessment.
• At the time of our inspection, no data was collected specifically for patients receiving supportive and palliative care, although this was planned for the near future.