England's Chief Inspector of Hospitals has rated Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as Good overall following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission.
Overall, CQC found that urgent and emergency care, surgery, and children and young people's services at Moorfields Eye Hospital in City Road were Good, although outpatients and diagnostics were rated Requires Improvement. A full report of the inspection is available from this website.
CQC inspected four core services: urgent and emergency care, surgery, outpatients and diagnostics, and children and young people's services at the Moorfields Eye Hospital (City Road) and St George's Hospital.
Inspectors also looked at services provided by the trust at Bedford Hospital, Ealing Hospital, Croydon Hospital, Mile End Hospital, Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton, Purley War Memorial Hospital and Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospital.
The trust was rated Requires Improvement for being safe and responsive. It was rated Good for being effective, caring and well-led, during the inspection which took place in May 2016.
The Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards, said:
"Moorfields Eye Hospital sets out to be the leading international centre in the care and treatment of eye disorders, and indeed it is known throughout the world as a centre for research and education
"We found there is a clear vision and set of values within the surgical services that are driven by quality care and safety. Staff are clear about their involvement in delivering these objectives. There is a cohesive and supportive leadership team who work effectively with well-established members of staff.
"The staff relationship with their patients could not be faulted. People told us that the care they receive exceeded their expectations.
"However, there were disappointing areas, principally within the outpatient clinics where the trust needs to make improvements. Clinics were frequently overbooked, with too little room for people waiting, and little information about delays. At St George's Hospital – there are additionally some problems with the fabric of the building, including the operating theatres which require attention."
Inspectors found that wards and patient areas were clean and infection rates were low. The trust made adequate staffing levels a high priority and were reviewed to keep people safe at all times. There were minimal staff shortages.
Overall the trust met the target for the national referral to treatment target of 18 weeks for outpatient appointments. The trust consistently met the target for patients awaiting treatment in the emergency department.
But outpatients' clinics at the City Road hospital were frequently overbooked and finished late, with patients facing long waiting times. At times these areas became very busy, with no seating availability for patients and relatives.
The paediatric waiting area in the A&E was unsuitable for the purpose it was being used. Children and their families were observed waiting in the main waiting area with adult emergency department patients.
Within children's and young people's services there were low glass walls around the atriums on each floor with a hand rail approximately a metre above the floor. This was a potential safety issue, as a child or other person could attempt to climb over the barrier and fall to the ground floor below.
At the St George's Hospital there were some longstanding problems with the ventilation system which affected both the theatre preparation room (theatre 4) and anaesthetic room. The outpatients department was crowded and the waiting area was cramped. There was a separate waiting area for patients in wheelchairs however this only accommodated two wheelchair users and at the time of the inspection, the ceiling was leaking due to heavy rain
The report contains a number of areas for improvement including:
The trust needs to address the environmental conditions of outpatients at the St Georges site.
It needs to ensure that the quality and safety of the outpatients' service at the City Road site are fully monitored,
The trust needs to consider how the risks posed by the low glass walls around the atriums in the Richard Desmond Children's Eye Centre can be mitigated.
Ends
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Read our reports on Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust