CQC finds improvements at Weston General Hospital

A focused inspection by the Care Quality Commission has shown improvements at Weston General Hospital, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

After a previous comprehensive inspection in March 2017, CQC issued a Warning Notice to the trust highlighting areas of concern where significant improvement was required within the Urgent and Emergency services.

During this recent inspection in December 2017 CQC found that there had been improvements although the trust required further time to demonstrate that the changes had been fully embedded and applied consistently.

CQC’s key findings included:

The trust had taken steps to reduce the use of a corridor to accommodate patients in the emergency department, although it continued to be used during times of great pressure. On the day of the inspection the corridor was being used. Although patients nursed there were not left unattended, previous concerns about the environment,; the confined space and lack of privacy, remained.

Inspectors were concerned that this was not a suitable space to care for some of the most vulnerable patients, such as a patient with dementia, who spent several hours in the corridor because there were no other suitable patients who could be moved to free up a cubicle.

Inspectors had previously raised concerns about poor patient flow and bed management in the wider hospital, leading to crowding in the emergency department. This had been addressed and had now improved. The bed management function had been reconfigured. Staff were embracing the new ways of working and were clear about their individual and team responsibilities.

Inspectors found a lot of work had been carried out to develop alternative admission pathways so that the emergency department was not the single point of access to the hospital. The trust had introduced a primary care service where patients with minor concerns or illnesses were assessed by an advanced nurse practitioner, rather than enter the emergency department.

The trust had also established an integrated discharge team and an acute frailty assessment service to support complex discharges and improve patient flow.

England’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Ted Baker, said:

"On the evidence of this inspection I am satisfied that the trust has taken action towards addressing our previous concerns about the safety of their A and E service."

"By consolidating their resources, the trust has been better able to ensure that people arriving at the hospital during the daytime are receiving a safe, high quality service. Patients are no longer waiting so long to be admitted, transferred or discharged."

"However – there is more to be done and the improvements must be sustained. We will return to check progress. In due course it will be for the trust to decide, in consultation with local commissioners, when the time is right to consider re-introducing the 24 hour service.”

You can read the latest report on our website.

Ends

For further information please contact CQC Regional Engagement Officer Lara Orija on 07789 875 306. 

Journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team here.

Please note: the press office is unable to advise members of the public on health or social care matters. For general enquiries, please call 03000 61 61 61.