Background to this inspection
Updated
25 April 2023
Cromwell Hospital is operated by Medical Services Internal Limited. The hospital opened in 1981. It is a private hospital located in London. The hospital serves the local community as well as having a wide national and international patient portfolio. The hospital recently appointed a new registered manager, registered in September 2022. Although the appointee had been in post as the chief medical officer since January 2022.
This was a focused inspection that was triggered by information of concern that we received through our enquires. During the last CQC inspection carried out in 2018, we found areas of concern in the documentation of cleaning, the MRI safety barrier, the vetting of MRI scans and child appropriate waiting areas. We looked at all of these areas of concern during this focused inspection and found that the service was now compliant.
Updated
25 April 2023
Our rating of this service stayed the same. We rated it as good because:
- The service documented incidents well and practiced shared learning.
- Staff provided care and treatment based on national guidance and evidence-based practice.
- Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff felt respected, supported, and valued.
- The service showed a positive response to the last CQC inspection report and had made all the recommended improvements.
However:
- Staff were unclear with the correct procedures on how to handle an immediate threat to life.
- Managers did not document or formally monitor staff competence after the initial induction period.
- Staff were clear about their own roles; however, they were unclear of who fulfilled local senior roles such as the radiation protection advisor.
Medical care (including older people’s care)
Updated
20 December 2018
Medical care was a significant proportion of hospital activity.
We rated this service as outstanding because it was good for safe and effective and outstanding for caring responsive and well-led.
Services for children & young people
Updated
20 December 2018
Children and young people’s services were a small proportion of inpatient hospital activity and a larger proportion of outpatient hospital activity.
We rated this service as good because it was good for safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
Updated
20 December 2018
Critical care was a small proportion of hospital activity.
We rated this service as requires improvement because it was good for caring and well-led but improvements were required in safe, effective and responsiveness.
Updated
20 December 2018
Diagnostic imaging services were a large part of the hospital activity.
We rated this service as good because it was good for effective, caring and responsive and well-led but improvements were required in safe.
Diagnostic and screening services
Updated
25 April 2023
Our rating of this service stayed the same. We rated it as good because:
- The service documented incidents well and practiced shared learning.
- Staff provided care and treatment based on national guidance and evidence-based practice.
- Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff felt respected, supported, and valued.
- The service showed a positive response to the last CQC inspection report and had made all the recommended improvements.
However:
- Staff were unclear with the correct procedures on how to handle an immediate threat to life.
- Managers did not document or formally monitor staff competence after the initial induction period.
- Staff were clear about their own roles; however, they were unclear of who fulfilled local senior roles such as the radiation protection advisor.
Updated
20 December 2018
Outpatients’ services were a large part of the hospital activity.
We rated this service as good because it was good for safe, effective, caring and well-led and outstanding for responsive.
Updated
20 December 2018
Surgery was a significant proportion of hospital activity.
We rated this service as good because it was good for effective, caring responsive and well-led, but improvements were required in safe.