• Blackpool Victoria, which is the main hospital site and the focus of much of its work
• Clifton Hospital, which currently has four wards, mainly for elderly care and rehabilitation (with one outpatient clinic)
• Fleetwood Hospital.

This report relates to the Fleetwood Hospital site.

Fleetwood Hospital is a community unit that serves residents from Wyre and surrounding areas.

It is located approximately eight miles north of the main trust headquarters.

There is an outpatient department which houses seven consulting suites, one of which has been adapted for Audiology. It also provides diagnostic Radiology services on the site. Fleetwood Hospital’s outpatient clinics include ear, nose and throat and gynaecological services. There is also a small ulcer clinic.

At this hospital we looked at outpatient clinics.

We spoke with patients and members of the public in the outpatients department.

Overall we found that services provided at the Fleetwood hospital were provided in an, effective, caring manner, that they were responsive to the needs of those using the services and were well led.

Patients records were difficult to locate, and the information within them was not easy to find. This could delay patients access to care and hinder decision making.

Patients we spoke to were very positive about the care they received. Patients were very complimentary about the caring nature of the staff. Volunteers supported the patients during their time in the hospital.

However, patients we spoke to did not know how to make a complaint nor how to make the trust aware of any comments on the service. The trust is losing valuable feedback and development opportunities for its services.

There was good leadership of the outpatient service.