CQC response to report on paediatric cardiac surgery at John Radcliffe Hospital

The Care Quality Commission said today’s report about paediatric surgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital, raised serious concerns.

Cynthia Bower, CQC’s chief executive, said: “While the report does not say that the failings caused any deaths, I am in no doubt that babies were not receiving care that was as safe as it should be.

“The trust did not handle the safety concerns raised by the surgeon in an effective or transparent way. The delay in notifying the board, strategic health authority and regulator was unacceptable. The clinical governance arrangements to identify and monitor safety risks were not up to scratch. Induction and supervision was clearly poor.”

Ms Bower said CQC was monitoring the trust closely and planned to review standards at the trust as part of its new registration system, which involves ongoing monitoring of quality and safety.

“We will conduct a full review of quality and safety standards across the hospital. This will involve inspections, interviews with patients and staff, and a review of all available data. We won’t hesitate to take action if we find similar problems exist elsewhere in the hospital.”

Background

On 1 April, CQC introduced a tough new licensing system. It registered Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust without conditions. However, the trust declared concerns relating to:
• insufficient staff on some wards
• poor attendance at staff training
• performance in the cardiac unit (these concerns relate to today’s report)

CQC did not consider that formal conditions were necessary because the trust had good plans in place to address these issues. CQC will check on progress during its upcoming review.

Focused on better care - Care Quality Commission first annual report

Please find below a link to the CQC annual report for 2009/10, we report on our work in CQC’s first year of operation – from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010.

Visit our online report to look back on the year’s achievements and challenges and watch videos featuring some of the many people who have worked with us to help make sure that everything we do is focused on better care.

. Visit our online annual report:
http://www.cqc.org.uk/newsandevents/newsstories.cfm?FaArea1=customwidgets.content_view_1&cit_id=36498

Significant improvements found in Mid Staffordshire

Improvements in mortality rates, staffing levels, patient experience and responses to concerns have been found in a review of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.
We have today commended the trust for its progress in the year since a critical report was published while also identifying a number of areas where improvements are still needed.

These include some waiting times in A&E and access for nurses to some equipment.
As a part of the review we carried out both announced and unannounced inspections at the trust, speaking to patients, staff and local groups.
Following the positive findings, we will be lifting five of the six conditions placed upon the trust’s registration in April.

These conditions related to:

• Staffing levels.

• Monitoring of the quality of care.

• Equipment training for staff.

• Managing patients in A&E.

• Maintenance of medical equipment.

The final condition, which relates to supervising and appraising workers, has not yet been reviewed and this will be done in August.

• Read our full press release on the review and the lifting of the conditions
http://www.cqc.org.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases.cfm?cit_id=36495&FAArea1=customWidgets.content_view_1&usecache=false

• Find out more about Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust and the concerns over healthcare http://www.cqc.org.uk/usingcareservices/healthcare/concernsabouthealthcare/midstaffordshirenhsfoundationtrust.cfm

CQC's response to the Dept of Health arm's length bodies review

Cynthia Bower, CQC Chief Executive, has welcomed the publication of the Department of Health’s Arm's Length Bodies review, saying:

“I'm pleased the Department has underlined the importance of integrated health and social care regulation, which we believe can be a real lever to improve the quality of care. The report recognises the hard work CQC has put in to deliver registration of the NHS on time while moving to a more cost effective model.

“In taking on the licensing functions of the HFEA and HTA, we will be looking to preserve the specialist expertise within these bodies. We already regulate a number of sectors where it’s vital to have in-depth knowledge – the rights of people detained under the Mental Health Act, for example – and are confident we can build on what these two bodies have achieved so far.

“We look forward to working with the Department to develop these proposals in more detail, and will be working with Monitor in particular on the single licence for all care providers.”

For the DH's press release and the full report of the Arm's Length Bodies Review, use this link to the DH website:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/MediaCentre/Pressreleases/DH_117844

For the DH's consultation paper on expanding Monitor's remit, 'Regulating Healthcare Providers':
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/MediaCentre/Pressreleases/DH_117848

Registration condition on Surrey and Borders lifted

We have lifted one of two conditions imposed on Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Two conditions were imposed on the trust earlier this year after we discovered that it was not meeting our essential standards of quality and safety.

We required the trust to take action to ensure that:

· all people who use services have up to date care plans and that staff receive training in the assessment and recording of risk
The trust provided us with evidence to show that it has met the condition before the deadline and applied for the condition to be removed.

Following an inspection in May where we interviewed patients and staff and reviewed documents at six units, we discovered that the trust has:

· put in place monthly record-keeping audits to check on care plans and risk assessments

· designated a nurse to primarily be responsible for auditing the quality of the Care Plan Approach and risk assessments

· organised an audit group to carry out regular inspections of inpatient services including record-keeping, assessments and care plans

· trained all relevant staff in their three-yearly Care Plan Approach and risk training, and will provide them with 10 clinical supervision sessions and an annual appraisal
We will assess whether the trust has met the second condition in the near future.

Find out more

· Download the review of compliance:
http://www.cqc.org.uk/publications.cfm?fde_id=15936

· Read the press release:
http://www.cqc.org.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases.cfm?cit_id=36437&FAArea1=customWidgets.content_view_1&usecache=false

· Read our essential standards of quality and safety:http://www.cqc.org.uk/aboutcqc/whatwedo/monitoringessentialstandardsofqualityandsafety/whataretheessentialstandardsofqualityandsafety.cfm

Comment from Dame Jo Williams in response to Department of Health’s announcement that she is the government's candidate for CQC chair.

Dame Jo Williams said: “I am absolutely delighted to be the government’s candidate for the post of chair for the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

“I have thoroughly enjoyed the last seven months as interim chair at CQC, and am extremely proud of what we have achieved in that time. We have successfully registered the NHS against a new set of standards, and look forward to rolling this out to all health and adult social care providers over the coming months and years. But I don’t underestimate the challenges ahead.

“I am deeply passionate about continuing to drive improvement to ensure everyone has access to safe, quality services across the country.”

-ends-

Department of Health Press release:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/MediaCentre/Pressreleases/DH_117655

Dame Jo Williams' reaction to new funding commission appointment

Reacting to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley's announcement today that she has been asked to sit on the new Commission on the Funding of Care and Support, Dame Jo Williams, acting Chair of the Care Quality Commission, said:

"I am very pleased to have this opportunity to help shape a way forward on one of the most significant issues facing society.

"I hope to be able to contribute towards finding an equitable and sustainable solution for future generations."

Dame Jo will serve on the new commission for one day a week while continuing her role as CQC's acting chair.