The Care Quality Commission has published a report on the provision of safe care to patients at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (the Oxford Centre for Enablement) which is part of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The centre provides specialist neurological rehabilitation for up to 26 patients across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Dorset. There were 23 patients receiving care at the time of the inspection.
Inspectors carried out an unannounced, focused inspection in August in response to notification of an incident in July where avoidable harm had occurred to a patient and to ensure care was being provided in a safe way to current patients.
As this was a focused inspection relating to safe care in one area, no rating has been issued.
The inspection identified a number of areas where improvements must be made. These include:
- Monitor and review staffing levels on the inpatients ward to ensure they are at the required level with the correct skill match to meet the assessed needs of the patients.
- Review the standard of record keeping ensuring each patient has a contemporaneous record of care, with a care plan which reflects their needs, taking into account the assessment of risk associated with delivering the required level of care.
- Ensure care plans are reviewed on a regular basis and when there is a change to the patients’ needs to ensure they remain current and relevant to the needs of the individual patient.
- Ensure planned work to improve the safety of the unit is completed in a timely way.
- Review the security control measures in place for all gates that lead from the inpatient ward garden area to help ensure it is a safe environment for patients.
Following the inspection, CQC inspectors understand action has been taken to reduce the number of beds at the centre to 18 to help ensure staff would be able to provide safe care to patients. In addition, the inspectors have been informed that improvement work has been carried out to ensure gates and doors are made appropriately secure.
We will continue to monitor the service and return in due course to check the progress made in the areas for improvement that have been identified.
A full report of the inspection can be found on our website.
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For further information please contact CQC Regional Engagement Officer Lara Orija on 07789 875 306.
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