Watchdog praises Spire unit for its autism care

A private hospital has been recognised by the Care Quality Commission  for its ‘outstanding’ work for patients with autism.

Spire Nottingham Hospital maintained the highest overall rating after being accredited with an autism inclusion award which inspectors said demonstrated its commitment to understanding the condition.

They praised it for setting the standard for autism practice and offering excellent support to autistic children and adults.

The CQC accolade followed an unannounced inspection of surgical services and the healthcare watchdog praised how the care was tailored to meet individuals’ needs and to ensure flexibility and choice for patients. 

Facilities and buildings were described as ‘innovative’ with outstanding practices including:

 Establishing a new critical care resident doctor programme to develop and collaborate with services across the region;

 Developing working groups of people from multiple healthcare professions to care for hard-to-diagnose patients, cited as ‘an example of collaborative working to improve patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes’;

 Fundraising for a local school, most recently to provide funds for a new sensory room;

 Having three mental health first aiders.