Archived: Stroud General Hospital

This service had not been previously inspected. We rated it as requires improvement because:

• There was no formal process recorded for staff working under SLA to escalate medical emergencies. There was also no formal process recorded for the management of medicines used in the service.
• Not all staff working under SLA had received a regular appraisal. The service did not routinely use all information from surgical safety checklists to assure itself services were carried out safely.
• The service did not monitor post-operative infections effectively.
• Not all audits set out in the service’s audit plan had been completed.
• There was no formal review process for SLAs held by the service.

However:

• The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in most key skills, they understood how to protect patients from abuse. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. Staff knew how to report patient safety incidents.
• Staff provided good care and treatment and gave patients enough to eat and drink. Staff worked well together and managed patients’ post-operative pain well.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.
• The service planned care to meet the needs of local people, took account of patients’ individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for treatment.
• Leaders had the skills and abilities to run the service. They understood and managed the priorities and issues the service faced. They were visible and approachable and supported staff to develop their skills. The service had a vision for what it wanted to achieve which was focused on sustainability of services and aligned to local plans within the wider health economy. Staff at all levels were clear about their roles and accountabilities.