Spire Fylde Coast Hospital

Updated 2 September 2019

Spire Fylde Coast hospital is a purpose-built private hospital that opened in 1983. The hospital provides outpatient consultation and diagnostics including imaging along with inpatient and day case admitted treatment for adults 18 years and over. Services are provided to insured, self-funding and NHS patients under contract agreements with Clinical Commissioning Groups and Trust hospitals. The hospital’s primary catchment area is Blackpool and Fylde Coast along with North Lancashire, Cumbria and Preston.

The hospital has a registered manager who has worked in a managerial post at the hospital since September 2015, working alongside the previous registered manager. The registered manager was appointed in August 2016.

Updated 2 September 2019

Spire Fylde Coast Hospital is operated by Spire Healthcare Ltd. It is a private hospital in Blackpool, Lancashire. The hospital has been operating for over 35 years (opening in 1983). It is located 400 yards from a local NHS trust main acute site. It is on the outskirts of the town of Blackpool and about one mile from the seaside promenade. Blackpool and the wider Fylde Coast have a population of around 350,000. The hospital primarily serves the communities of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast, however it also accepts patient referrals from outside this area.

The hospital is registered to provide diagnostic and screening procedures, surgical procedures and treatment of disease, disorder and injury. The hospital has 26 single rooms and 11 day-care beds which are provided in two single sex bays. Facilities include three operating theatres, 10 consulting rooms, physiotherapy treatment rooms, medical imaging services and outpatient and diagnostic facilities. Outpatient clinics are also provided from a small clinic in Lytham, approximately 20 minutes away. Facilities for plain x-ray diagnostic tests are also available in this clinic.

The hospital has a registered manager who has worked in a managerial post at the hospital since September 2015, working alongside the previous registered manager. The registered manager was appointed in August 2016.

Updated 2 September 2019

We rated this service as good because it was safe, caring, responsive and well-led. We inspected but did not rate effective.

There were onsite X-ray, mammography and ultrasound facilities. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) scans were provided by Spires Mobile Unit. The service was available six days a week, and evening appointments were available. Outside of normal working hours there was an on-call service provided.

Staff had received mandatory training and were aware of their responsibilities to safeguard patients from abuse. The environment was visibly clean and tidy, and equipment was well maintained.

Care and treatment was based on national guidance and they monitored the effectiveness of this. The service made sure that staff were competent to undertake their roles and there was evidence of multidisciplinary team working.

Feedback from patients was positive about their care and we observed caring interactions between staff and patients.

The service met the needs of patients and took into account their individual needs. Patients could access the service when they needed it and complaints were low.

There was a positive culture and staff felt that the leadership team was approachable. Risks were managed well and staff were encouraged to learn and develop.

Updated 2 September 2019

We rated this service as good because it was safe,

caring, responsive and well-led.

We inspected but did not rate effective.

The service saw only adults and was available six days a week with clinics available in the evenings. Staff had received mandatory training and safeguarding training. There had been no infections in the department and all areas were visibly clean and tidy. Staff worked to national guidelines and there was evidence of multi-disciplinary team working amongst different staff groups. Staff were caring towards patients and there was positive feedback from patients about the staff.

Adjustments were made for patients as necessary and there were few complaints about the service. Staff worked to improve outcomes for patients and monitored these. Leadership was positive and staff said that they liked working at the hospital.

Updated 2 September 2019

Surgery was the main activity of the hospital. Where our findings on surgery also apply to other services, we do not repeat the information but cross-refer to the surgery section.

We rated this service as good because it was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. The service had made improvements to safety processes and governance systems since our last inspection.

Staff had the right skills and qualifications to carry out their roles safely and effectively. A staffing tool was used to calculate staffing needs based on the acuity of patients listed for surgery.

Managers monitored service performance using feedback from patients, key performance indicators and patient outcome data. This information was compared with similar providers where possible.

Patient feedback was largely positive. We observed staff taking the time to interact with patients and staff spoke about patients and their relatives with respect and compassion.

Care was provided taking into account the needs of individuals and people could access care and treatment when they needed it.

There were effective leaders employed within the service. Staff spoke positively about the senior leadership team. Senior managers had made efforts to encourage continuous learning and there had been positive changes to the culture within the service.