England’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals has told Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust that it must ensure that it protects patients from infection at a specialist dialysis centre.
A team of inspectors from the Care Quality Commission visited the Astley Cooper Unit at Guy’s Hospital on 26 March in response to concerns raised by patients.
On the day of the inspection CQC passed on its initial findings to senior managers so that the trust could take immediate action.
The inspection identified 10 areas for improvement, including:
- There were concerns related to infection prevention and control practices. This included lack of attention to the cleanliness of the environment and equipment, and poor adherence to best practice.
- The fabric of the unit was in poor condition and in need of general refurbishment.
- There was poor practice with regard to some medicines storage and lack of checks on equipment.
- There was poor practice with regard to cross infection and isolation requirements.
Helen Rawlings, Head of Hospital Inspection for London, said:
“On the day of our inspection we found a culture of complacency that accepted poor nursing care practices and suggested a lack of pride in the unit. There was also in certain areas, disrespect for patients and a degree of unfairness when it came to carrying out treatment.
“We are aware that the trust has taken action to address our most urgent concerns over hygiene and infection control.
“We will continue to monitor this service closely and return in the future to check on the trust’s progress and these improvements have been embedded.”
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we found a culture of complacency that accepted poor nursing care practices and suggested a lack of pride in the unit
Helen Rawlings, Head of Hospital Inspection for London