The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published two reports for Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust following a recent inspection in December.
The unannounced focused inspection of the medical division at the University Hospital Lewisham (UHL) and Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) were prompted by information received that gave concerns about the safety of the service. Both services had also performed poorly in the last NHS Adult Inpatient Survey (2021).
As this was a focused inspection, it does not impact the overall rating for medical services which remains requires improvement overall. Neither does it impact the overall rating of the trust which remains requires improvement overall.
Nicola Wise, CQC deputy director of operations in London, said:
“It’s good news to hear that since the safe staffing review Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust have hired enough senior nurses to ensure that while the service levels where not optimal, they were safe. The trust was experiencing a busy period, on the day of our inspection, despite the increased pressures inspectors noted that morale was positive, and staff reported feeling well supported by visible senior staff.
“We did find some issues especially how the trust ensured staff were up to date on their mandatory training and how did they manage the falls risks those people who were unsteady on their feet.
“The trust leadership team have received our feedback and have acknowledged there is still further work to be do. I’m confident that the leadership team will be able to implement the further improvements required but also sustain those changes already made.”
Throughout the trust’s medical division inspectors found:
- Following a recent safer staffing review of nursing staff, the trust had increased the number of nurses to help support staff safely care for people
- A safer staffing review of medical staff had been initiated
- The trust had invested in quality systems training for clinical staff and inspectors saw examples of projects that had been implemented on some of the wards visited
- Staff treated people with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and took account of their individual needs
- Leaders had the skills and abilities to run the service. They understood and managed the priorities and issues the service faced.