Tyneside Surgical Services

Updated 8 August 2022

Tyneside surgical services is an independent purpose built hospital commissioned for elective specialties. The service moved to their new facilities in January 2022 and has since carried out their activities from this location. The service had not operated from their previous location for an extended period prior to January 2022 due to the COVID 19 pandemic. From January 2022 to May 2022 the service carried out 1060 day case procedures and 236 endoscopy procedures.

The model of care ensures all patients are seen and treated by their clinician of choice from first outpatient appointment to discharge. The range of services includes orthopaedics upper and lower limb, low complexity spines, general and colorectal surgery, plastic surgery (not cosmetic), urology, gynaecology and pain management. The service also provides endoscopy services.

Tyneside Surgical Services first registered with CQC in 2011. The service is registered for the regulated activities of diagnostic and screening procedures, surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The service has a registered manager in post. Our previous inspection of this service in 2017 was good. There was no compliance action/requirement notices or enforcement associated with this service.

The main service provided by this hospital was surgery. Where our findings on medical care – for example, management arrangements – also apply to other services, we do not repeat the information but cross-refer to the surgery service.

Updated 8 August 2022

Medical care, endoscopy services, was a small proportion of the hospital activity. The main service was surgery. Where arrangements were the same, we have reported findings in the surgery section.

We rated this service as good because it was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

Our rating of this location stayed the same. We rated it as good because:

• 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. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from the provider wide organisation. Staff collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
• Staff provided good care and treatment and gave pain relief when patients 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, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good patient information.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.
• The service ensured people’s individual needs and preferences were central to the delivery of tailored services and the communities served. It also worked with others in the wider system and local organisations to plan care. People could access the service in the time and way they needed it and received the right care promptly. Technology was used innovatively to ensure people had timely access to treatment, support and care. Waiting times from referral to treatment and arrangements to admit, treat and discharge patients were in line with national standards.
• Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems. Staff understood the service’s vision and values, and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. Staff and managers were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. Staff were clear about their clinical roles. The service engaged well with patients and stakeholders to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

Updated 8 August 2022

The service had a stand-alone endoscopy unit. It consisted of a procedure room and a recovery area. The endoscopy service was working towards the Joint Advisory Group on gastrointestinal endoscopy (JAG) accreditation. The JAG accreditation scheme is a patient-centred scheme and based on the principle of independent assessment against recognised standards.

Endoscopy was one of the smaller proportions of hospital activity. The service had undergone 236 endoscopies from January to May 2022. The main service was surgery. Where arrangements were the same, we have reported findings in the surgery section.

There was no activity on the day of our unannounced inspection, so we have insufficient evidence to rate some aspects of this service. However, we were able to inspect the environment, equipment management and stores, along with decontamination facilities. We also reviewed relevant documents, policies and procedures related to the endoscopy service provided.

We rated this service as good because it was safe, responsive and well led. We did not have sufficient information to rate caring. We do not rate endoscopy services for effective.

Updated 8 August 2022

We rated this service as good because it was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

• 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. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from the provider wide organisation. Staff collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
• Staff provided good care and treatment and gave pain relief when patients 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, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good patient information.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.
• The service ensured people’s individual needs and preferences were central to the delivery of tailored services and the communities served. It also worked with others in the wider system and local organisations to plan care. People could access the service in the time and way they needed it and received the right care promptly. Technology was used innovatively to ensure people had timely access to treatment, support and care. Waiting times from referral to treatment and arrangements to admit, treat and discharge patients were in line with national standards.
• Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems. Staff understood the service’s vision and values, and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. Staff and managers were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. Staff were clear about their clinical roles. The service engaged well with patients and stakeholders to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.