Highfield Hospital celebrates ‘Good’ independent watchdog rating

The BMI Highfield Hospital in Rochdale has been rated ‘Good’ by the national healthcare watchdog, the Care Quality Commission, following an unannounced inspection this summer.

The report by the independent regulator described the private hospital as safe, effective, caring, responsive and with well-led services, being marked ‘good’ in all areas except for one.

Diagnostic imaging services were rated as requiring improvement.

The hospital provides surgery services for adults aged 18 and over, outpatients and diagnostic imaging. It has 47 beds across two wards, and three ambulatory pods, which hold a total of 12 ambulatory chairs. 

Facilities include four operating theatres, three of which have laminar flow, an x-ray department, physiotherapy department and diagnostic imaging, outpatient and diagnostic facilities, and an house pharmacy service provision for inpatients and outpatients.

Inspectors noted how ‘competent staff worked well as a team’, had great pride in their work, and involved families and carers to make sure that patients felt well informed to make decisions.

Mandatory training compliance rates were high, and staff understood how to protect patients from abuse, recognise and report it.

Controlled measures were used to prevent the spread of infection and infection rates were low.

Records were clear, up-to-date and easily available to all staff providing care, whilst patients were assessed regularly.

Concerns and complaints were dealt with seriously, whilst staff cared for patients with compassion and provided emotional support to minimise their distress.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Mr Saqif Hossain said: “The fact is that the hospital has a good rating shows we are patient centred and that patient safety is a priority. The team has worked hard to achieve this.

“Everybody in hospital is there for the patients – from the porters and the catering teams to the consultants and the Executive Director. This is a hospital that is well-led from the top and I would certainly recommend any of my family to have their treatment at Highfield.”

The CQC inspection report also highlighted a culture of openness and honesty, with a strong focus on patient-centred care.

Staff felt able to talk openly about any concerns, which meant that any issues could be resolved quickly and any learning shared straight away. The report noted that staff felt respected, supported and valued.

Consultant urologist, Neeraj Sharma said: “There is no doubt that the team has put in a massive effort to achieve a good rating. They are proactive in driving success forward; their determination to raise standards is very visible.

“Knowing the team, I have no doubt that they will already be working hard towards getting an outstanding rating.”

Executive Director, Sam Sheehan said: “I was particularly pleased that the inspectors noticed how everyone was passionate about working with patients and with each other to plan and manage services. Having that mindset means that we all work well together, and I am so pleased that everyone’s work has resulted in this ‘good’ rating from the CQC.

“Patients coming here can be assured that they have made a ‘good’ decision to choose Highfield, and that everyone is here for them.”

The CQC regulates private hospitals to the same degree as NHS hospitals, analysing how well providers perform in five 'domains' of being safe; effective; caring; responsive to people's needs; and well-led.