• Hospital
  • NHS hospital

Mount Gould Hospital

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

Mount Gould Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 7QD (01752) 202082

Provided and run by:
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Latest inspection summary

On this page

Overall

Requires improvement

Updated 12 December 2024

Date of assessment 20 February to 28 March 2024. Previously, we inspected and rated diagnostic imaging combined with outpatient services at Mount Gould Hospital. However, diagnostic imaging is now a separately rated service. This assessment did not cover all parts of our Single Assessment Framework, therefore we have only updated scores and ratings for those areas which we have assessed. We will carry out future assessments to cover other parts of the Framework and will update our website with our findings. During this assessment we looked at 2 quality statements in the responsive key question and found areas of good practice. However, our overall location rating remains requires improvement. The service provided appropriate and accurate information to meet people's needs. The service was accessible and people were supported when using the service.

Outpatients and diagnostic imaging

Requires improvement

Updated 25 November 2016

  • Some staff were still not receiving feedback from incidents.

  • Staff incident reporting was the only safety indicator used by some senior managers.

  • Cleaning audits carried out by Livewell were not shared with staff.

  • Some diagnostic imaging protocols were out of date and referred to out of date practice.

  • Staff were unsure how information about patients additional needs was gathered.

  • A backlog of typing in some specialties was having a knock on effect to other specialties.

  • The pain management service sometimes had more patients booked than it had capacity.

  • Some specialties still had DNA rates above the England average.

However:

  • Senior staff provided guidance and support to junior staff to help them report safety incidents.

  • Regular hand hygiene audits in pain management fed results directly back to monthly governance meetings.

  • The number of temporary notes had reduced, and audits were being carried out.

  • A new system of monitoring FP10 had been introduced.

  • A pharmacy review of medicines had removed unused medicines from the pain management outpatients, and regular pharmacy visits had increased their visibility to staff and strengthened relationships.

  • Diagnostic reference levels had been implemented.

  • Patient outcome audit results had been presented nationally, and a senior nurse sat on the NICE board.

  • External organisations had been approached to help develop new policy documents.

  • Pain management planned some of its treatment to suit the needs of the patients.

  • Large notice boards displayed patient centered information.

  • A new reporting structure in the bookings team had helped develop a live clinic booking system, and work was being done to maximise the clinic use through overbookings.

  • Overall, the DNA rate in outpatients and pain management had improved, and less than 1% of diagnostic imaging patients DNA.

  • Pain management and ENT collected friends and family test data to continually improve services for patients.

  • There was strong leadership in the pain management service and good working relationships in the bookings team.

  • Staff fed and understood how audits fed into the overall governance framework.

  • One central equipment register in diagnostic imaging helped plan the future capital replacement program.