England’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals has told BMI Healthcare Limited that it must improve patient safety at BMI The Duchy Hospital in Harrogate, Yorkshire.
Overall the hospital has been rated as Inadequate following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission in October 2016.
The hospital provides a range of surgical, outpatient and diagnostic imaging services to NHS and privately-funded patients. A full report of the inspection has been published on our website.
Amanda Stanford, Head of Hospital Inspection, said:
“Overall, we have rated the service provided by BMI The Duchy Hospital as inadequate because we were concerned around safety and leadership."
“We found that patients were at risk of harm because the hospital was not following the best practice guidance to keep them safe and ensure the best outcomes for them. We raised this with the provider after our inspection as a matter of priority."
“In the main we found that staff were committed and delivered good care treating patients with compassion, dignity and respect. Staff felt supported by their immediate managers, but less confident in the senior management."
“As a result of this inspection we have identified a number of areas where the hospital must improve and issued five requirement notices. We will return to BMI The Duchy Hospital in the near future to check on their progress.”
Inspectors found that there were not effective systems in place to keep patients safe. In the theatre and outpatients departments, the use of the World Health Organisation surgical safety checklist was not embedded.
There were not always enough staff to meet patients’ needs in the inpatient ward and theatre recovery area. Staff spoke of relationship difficulties between staff working in the operating theatre and inpatient ward areas.
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For further information please contact CQC Regional Engagement Officer Kerri James by email kerri.james@cqc.org.uk or by phone on 07464 92 9966.
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