Spencer Private Hospitals Canterbury

The location had not previously been inspected. 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 reasonably well and learned lessons from them. Staff collected some safety information and used it to improve the service.
• Staff provided good care and treatment and gave patients enough to eat and drink. Managers had started to monitor 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 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 planned care to meet the needs of local people, took account of patients’ individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for treatment.
• Leaders ran services well and had started to use 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 the community to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

However:

• Not all policies and procedures were reviewed and updated in the required timeframe to make sure up to date practices were followed.
• When the hospital used facilities and equipment from the local NHS trust there were no checks in place to make sure they were clean, suitable for the intended purpose and maintained.
• Minutes of meetings did not always make it clear that information and data from the Spencer Private Hospital (Canterbury) was included in governance meetings.