The Care Quality Commission (CQC) announced today that a follow up inspection to Weston General Hospital showed "significant improvements" to the quality of standards and care. As a result the two warning notices issued to the Hospital have been removed.
Clinical leaders and senior managers praised hospital staff on their hard work and commitment in succeeding in having the warnings lifted. Hospital managers were also keen to emphasise that this is the beginning of a programme of improvement. Chief Executive Nick Wood said:
"Every member of staff at Weston General Hospital has worked tremendously hard and pulled together. We are all reassured by the outcome of the latest CQC inspection, but there is no room for complacency. Our aim is to use this as a foundation for ongoing improvement and continuous review, and build on the progress at the hospital we have already made."
Patients reported to the CQC that "nothing is too much trouble" for staff, that staff were "caring and respectful" and gave "first class care." Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists were also praised for the support they gave to stroke victims.
"Our duty is to deliver excellent standards of treatment and sustain the delivery of first class care to the communities we serve," added Nick
The CQC visit in April 2013 highlighted two main areas of concern over privacy and dignity standards for patients, and care and welfare standards. Weston was also found to be non-compliant on three CQC standards relating to medicines, record keeping management and staffing levels. Promising to take "immediate action" the hospital introduced various initiatives including:
– 'Ward Wednesday' where matrons and senior nurses conduct a ward round together and meet afterwards to discuss observations and improvements.
– A new dedicated Medical Admissions Unit in the Accident & Emergency Division.
– A new service to allow GPs to directly refer suspected stroke patients to the hospital for an urgent CT scan.
– Monitoring systems for care and quality have been reviewed, and Executive Directors at the hospital have 'adopted' two wards each, becoming advocates for both patients and staff.
– A Learning from Experience plan, where any complaints to the hospital are used as opportunities for improvement.
The Trust is also committed to achieving and maintaining CQC compliance across all standards. Improvement work is being conducted to ensure that excellence is achieved across all areas of treatment and care.
In addition, as part of an ongoing recruitment drive agreed before the first CQC inspection took place, a £1.7 million spend on nurses is seeing the appointment of 36.5 whole time equivalent registered nurses across 11 inpatient wards, more nursing assistants, registered mental health nurses and an out of hours nursing sister.
For further information, please contact Rebecca Rafiyah Findlay Head of Communications on 01934 647091 or via rebecca.findlay@nhs.net