Chief Inspector of Hospitals publishes report on the quality of care provided by Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

England's Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards, has published a report on the quality of care provided by Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) undertook an unannounced, responsive inspection at the trust in September 2014. The inspection was carried out to review the trust’s progress in meeting the requirements of the warning notice that was issued on in March 2014. The trust had taken significant actions to meet the concerns contained in the warning notice.

The inspection focused specifically on emergency and urgent care and medical care. Both areas were rated as Requires Improvement overall.

The trust had taken significant actions to meet the concerns contained in the warning notice relating to the quality monitoring of services provided in the accident and emergency and medical care departments.

CQC’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards, said: 

“Our inspectors found a number of improvements were needed at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust and, while the warning notice requirements had been met and there were some areas of good practice, it was clear that work was still needed to improve services so that they meet the standards people have a right to expect.

“The trust should ensure that patient assessments in the emergency department are carried out within four hours and it must continue to embed effective training and staff appraisals systems to ensure targets are met.

The trust should also continue to review all areas of patient risk and ensure all areas of risk highlighted on the corporate risk register are reviewed within the prescribed timescales.

“Our inspectors will return to check on what progress has been made with regard to the necessary improvements.”

Full reports for the trust are published on CQC’s website today and are available via the following link: www.cqc.org.uk/provider/RNS.

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