Wednesday 23 December 2009

Improvements at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

23 December 2009

Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has taken action to address concerns about infection prevention and control and is now meeting minimum hygiene standards.

But the trust must continue to address remaining areas of concern, says CQC . It will carry out further checks on remaining areas of concern, looking particularly at the quality of emergency care.

CQC triggered action at the trust last month when it highlighted concerns about the A&E department, including:
  • a poor care environment;
  • inadequate arrangements to treat children; and
  • poor nursing care.
CQC also drew attention to concerns about leadership on these issues, breaches of infection control standards, high mortality rates for emergency admissions and worries about the quality of care of people with learning disabilities.

The regulator shared its information with foundation trust regulator, Monitor, which used its formal powers to accelerate improvement, putting a taskforce in place. The two regulators continue to work closely together on the issues.

Since raising these issues publicly on November 27, CQC has carried out an unannounced follow-up inspection on 4 December. It found that the trust has met the requirements of a warning notice issued in October. This means the trust is now meeting the minimum requirements for infection prevention and control.

In the new year, CQC will review evidence about the A&E department, carrying out further unannounced inspections, to check that recommendations for improvement have been acted upon.

Download the HCAI follow up inspection report

Read our press release for further information

Tuesday 22 December 2009

CQC Progress report on Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

Progress report on Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

17 December 2009

Our six months progress report finds that the trust is making progress but the pace of change needs to increase.

The former Healthcare Commission investigated mortality rates in emergency care at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. The results of their report were published in March 2009.
In September we made a number of unannounced visits to carry out the second of three formal progress checks at the trust.

Download our progress report on Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

Our six months progress report finds that the trust:
is continuing to build on improvements seen in our three month review - this includes having a system in place to ensure medical equipment is available and maintained has closed its clinical decision unit (CDU) as part of its action plan to improve emergency care and address patient safety issues is now taking seriously information about mortality rates

But:

progress has been slow in recruiting permanent nursing staff urgent action is required to improve timely discharge of patients there is still a lack of public confidence in the trust. The trust needs to communicate better with the local community and demonstrate how it uses feedback from patients and the public.

Further information

Download the original investigation report and the three month and six month follow-up reports

Read our press release: Care Quality Commission publishes progress report on Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust