The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has carried out unannounced inspections at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust’s two emergency departments (EDs).
Both inspections took place in January 2020 at Queen’s Hospital in Romford and King George Hospital in Ilford. Both hospitals are presently rated Requires Improvement.
The inspections were undertaken in response to concerning information CQC had received in relation to care of patients in the EDs. At the time of CQC’s inspection the departments were both under adverse pressure.
At Queen’s Hospital, inspectors found some areas where the trust needs to make improvements. It must:
- Ensure the paediatric emergency department is adequately staffed with registered children’s nurses.
- Continue to ensure patients in the Majors B waiting area are adequately monitored and managed to be supported to stay safe.
The trust should:
- Appoint a clinical lead for the service.
- Improve oversight of actual time to triage of patients arriving in the department through the streaming service.
- Continue working to improve A&E four-hour target performance.
- Continue working to reduce ambulance handover times.
- Continue working to improve the flow of patients out of the ED.
At King George Hospital the trust must:
- Ensure that all clinical areas are kept clean and tidy at all times.
- Ensure that all staff are aware of safeguarding and chaperoning policies in respect of the care of children and vulnerable adults and ensure that these policies are followed.
- Ensure patients in the Fit2Sit area are adequately monitored and managed to be supported to stay safe.
- Ensure that all fire exits and firefighting equipment are clearly marked and free from clutter.
CQC’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Ted Baker, said: “I am well aware that emergency departments are under pressure at this time of the year and that those pressures may increase in the near future.
“However, there are some areas where Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital Trust can improve the care it provides in its emergency departments.
“Keeping clinical areas clean and tidy at all times should be achievable with very little effort by the trust as should keeping fire exits free of clutter.”
You can read the report in full when it is published on CQC’s website at:
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