England’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals has found improvement in the quality of services for patients during the latest inspection of Poole NHS Foundation Trust. As a result of the inspection, the trust is now rated as Good.
A team of inspectors from the Care Quality Commission visited the trust unannounced between September and October to check the quality of three core services: surgery, critical care, and services for children and young people.
CQC also looked specifically at management and leadership to answer the key question: Is the trust well led?
As a result the trust’s overall rating is now Good, with effectiveness, caring, responsiveness to people’s needs and leadership all being rated Good, and safety rated Requires Improvement.
CQC has also published the trust’s Use of Resources report, which is based on an assessment undertaken by NHS Improvement. The trust has been issued an indicative, or shadow, Use of Resources rating of Good because it demonstrated it has used its resources effectively.
CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (South), Amanda Stanford, said:
“Previously, Poole NHS Foundation Trust was rated as requiring improvement. I am pleased to note that the Trust has taken our previous reports and used them to implement improvement. The trust already had a good track record in delivering effective, caring and well led care and has made significant improvements in the responsiveness of services we inspected.
“The board and senior leadership team had a clear vision that was aligned to the outcome of the Dorset wide clinical services review which was shortly before our inspection. It is important that any changes to the ways hospitals services are commissioned and planned in future ensure that the needs of the patients who rely on these services come first.
“The trust leadership knows that some further areas of improvement are required.
"Our inspectors will return at a later date to check on what progress has been made.”
Critical care services have now been rated as Good. Inspectors found that the intensive care team worked closely with outreach teams to identify deteriorating patients in other wards and units who might need earlier support. Patients were escalated to the unit as required to ensure they received the most appropriate care and support at an earlier stage.
Children’s services were also rated Good. Gully's Place, an area in the hospital that cares for children at the end of life, was recognised in awards for excellence in patient care.
However, inspectors did find medicines were not always stored securely. There were occasions when some medicines could be accessed by non-clinical staff. There was there was also variation in safety checks of controlled drugs in surgical services. Staff were not always using the results of safety monitoring well to improve patient care.
Trust leaders were aware that their financial position as a stand-alone trust was not sustainable in the longer term and were committed to working with system-wide partners to transform services across Dorset.
The trust were involved in national improvement projects. In the medical care group leaders had introduced a forum to promote innovation at all levels. Staff who took part were recognised and rewarded for their efforts.
Ends
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For media enquiries about the NHSI Use of Resources report contact Claire Green, regional communications manager, south, for NHS Improvement on 01823 361288, 07712 541984 or claire.green5@nhs.net
The Trust has taken our previous reports and used them to implement improvement.
Amanda Stanford, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (South)