SpaMedica Poole graded as ‘outstanding’ by Care Quality Commission

The independent regulator of health and social care in England has awarded SpaMedica Poole the highest possible rating – ‘Outstanding’ – following an inspection that took place in November 2022. 

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission gave the hospital top marks for being effective and responsive to people’s needs and noted the quality of surgery provided to NHS patients was outstanding, with 3,225 cataract operations and 268 YAG laser capsulotomies performed in the last 12 months.   

They also praised the hospital for its excellent patient outcomes and rapid referral to treatment times, noting they were “consistently and significantly better than the England average.”  

Other highlights from the report included: 

• Results from the patient satisfaction survey were consistently positive, and patients were full of praise for the way staff treated people. 
• 100% of patients were happy with the service they received and 99.38% said their surgeon was very friendly. 
• Staff were experienced, qualified, and had the right skills and knowledge to meet the needs of patients. 
• The service provided a 24/7 on call service and managed post-operative complications in house whenever possible, putting less pressure on local NHS services.  
• The hospital provided free transport for patients who met the criteria and made arrangements for taxis or public transport when this could not be used. 

Complication rates at the hospital were well below the national average, with no incidences of endophthalmitis (an infection of the tissues or fluids inside the eyeball) or unplanned returns to theatre within the last 12 months. Over 95% of patients regained driving standard vision (or better) after cataract surgery, significantly improving their quality of life.  

Hospital manager, Kelly Watkins, said: “Being graded as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission has been a fantastic start to the new year and I’m incredibly proud of the team for all their hard work since we opened in 2021. We do everything we can to ensure our patients are well looked after during their time with us; explaining everything involved in their treatment and answering all their questions so they feel as comfortable and confident as possible going into surgery.  

“Of course, it’s vital that patients are happy with the outcome of their treatment, too, so it’s really rewarding when they say we haven’t just given them their eyesight back, we’ve given them their quality of life back as well. It’s a privilege to be able to make a difference and we’re glad inspectors picked up on our passion and commitment for what we do.” 

27 of SpaMedica’s hospitals have now been inspected by the Care Quality Commission and all of them have been graded as either ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding,’ consolidating the company’s reputation as a provider of choice for thousands of patients across the country. 

SpaMedica Poole’s full inspection report is available to view on the CQC website.