The Horder Centre receives “outstanding” rating after CQC inspection

The Horder Centre in Crowborough has received a rating of “outstanding” overall in a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report published this week. It is one of only seven independent hospitals in England to be given this accolade.

Inspectors said the orthopaedic hospital, run by charity Horder Healthcare, was outstanding for its effective, caring and responsive services and that patients said staff “went the extra mile and the care they received exceeded their expectations”.

They highlighted the hospital’s vision of the “Horder Way” which included five core values of caring, friendly, quality, integrity and pride and said staff felt proud to work at the hospital where they spoke of a “family” culture.

The most recent patient-led assessment of the care environment at The Horder Centre scored 96% for privacy, dignity and wellbeing, which was higher than the national average of 83%.

Horder Healthcare Chief Executive Richard Tyler said: “We are absolutely delighted that the CQC has rated The Horder Centre as “outstanding” and that it recognises our core value of caring is embedded throughout our organisation. This rating has only been made possible by an exceptional team of people who work tirelessly across the entire organisation to ensure the highest standards of care for our patients.”

The inspection team recognised that The Horder Centre had undergone a total refurbishment and redevelopment programme over the last eight years to create a therapeutic environment to aid patient recovery.

The inspectors said: “All patients we spoke to felt staff were caring. One patient told us that the care they received was ‘second to none’ and another patient said ‘all the safety checks undertaken made me feel at ease’.

“There were a variety of mechanisms to provide psychological support to patients and their supporters. This range of service meant that each patient could access a service that was relevant to their particular needs. For example those with spiritual need, patients whose first language was not English, or support for people living with dementia or learning disabilities.”

Other highlights identified by the inspectors included:

• A strong, visible patient-centred culture with staff highly motivated and inspired to offer care that was kind and promoted patients’ dignity
• Patients felt well informed and involved in their procedures and care
• Patients were treated with compassion, care and dignity
• Patient outcomes and patient satisfaction continually exceeded national averages
• Patient comments included: “Excellent, kind, professional, it’s like coming to a hotel” and “Everything is top notch, I can’t complain about anything.”
• Staff described an open culture and said managers were approachable at all times

The report also recognised that The Horder Centre was playing a leading part in a major initiative by the National Orthopaedic Alliance to set new nationwide standards in orthopaedic care.

The Horder Centre treats patients for all types of orthopaedic and musculoskeletal conditions and accepts NHS patients through Patient Choice which allows people to ask their GP to refer them to a specific hospital.

It treats around 17,000 outpatients and 5,500 inpatients every year and now carries out more NHS hip and knee operations than any other independent single site provider in the country.

Horder Healthcare also runs the The McIndoe Centre in East Grinstead, which specialises in plastic and reconstructive surgery, and outreach clinics in Tunbridge Wells, Seaford and Eastbourne.