Care Quality Commission rates University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust as Good, following inspection

England's Chief Inspector of Hospitals has welcomed improvements at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors rated the trust Good overall, following their visit in October and November 2019. The trust is also rated Good for being safe, effective, caring and well-led. It is rated Requires Improvement for being responsive.

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust was previously rated Requires Improvement, following an inspection in 2018.

In an additional assessment, carried out by NHS Improvement alongside CQC’s latest inspection, the trust is rated Requires Improvement for using its resources productively.

CQC Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Ted Baker, said:

“Our latest inspection found several areas where the quality of care and treatment had improved at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, compared to our 2018 findings.

“Urgent and emergency care at University Hospital Coventry had enough staff with the right training and skills. The department’s infection risk was well controlled, and staff acted quickly for patients at risk of deterioration. Records were appropriate, and information was used to improve the service.

“University Hospital Coventry’s critical care – which monitors and treats people with life-threatening conditions – helped patients make informed decisions about their care and achieve good outcomes. The hospital’s maternity service worked in a safe and well-designed environment, where staff managed incidents well.

“Outpatient services at the Hospital of St Cross, in Rugby, benefitted from leaders who engaged openly with patients, staff, equality groups, the public and local organisations to plan, manage and improve services.

“However, the inspection identified some issues for the trust to address. On University Hospital Coventry’s neurosurgery ward, some staff were not compliant with training requirements and infection risk was not consistently well controlled. There were not enough nursing and support staff with the right qualifications, skills and training. Records did not always follow national guidance.

“I welcome the improvements the trust has made. Its board knows the issues it needs to address. We continue to monitor the trust and will return to carry out further inspections.”

See the full reports for the trust.

Inspectors witnessed areas of outstanding practice across the trust, including:

• A new tool to manage referral to treatment waiting times, which was being implemented. This used seasonal fluctuations to help plan referrals.
• A very proactive patient safety response team, supporting immediate review of all significant incidents.
• An effective process in urgent and emergency care at University Hospital Coventry to escalate patients requiring further assessment.
• Exceptional support for staff development in critical care at University Hospital Coventry. The department’s inclusive culture fostered a collaborative approach to improving care.
• A world-class centre studying miscarriage, operating in the maternity service at University Hospital Coventry. Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research includes a biomedical research unit with dedicated midwives recruiting patients for National Institute for Health Research studies.

The trust has been told it must make some improvements, all in neurosurgery at University Hospital Coventry, including:

• Ensuring patients who may lack capacity to consent to routine care and treatment are appropriately assessed. This must be recorded in patient records.
• Consultants must work within guidelines.
• Effective governance procedures must be used – particularly throughout theatres – to ensure quality, risk management and performance is accurately recorded and reviewed.
• Nurse staffing must be addressed to ensure patients are safe.

Ends

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