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Check-ups success for hospitals
SPOT checks have given two local hospitals a clean bill of health.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said essential standards of safety and quality at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust are being met.
The review was triggered by concerns about patient care and this resulted in unannounced visits on September 22 at both Wigan Infirmary and Wrightington Hospital.
Sue McMillan, CQC Regional Director for the North West, said: “I was keen that we assess the trust against three specific standards: care and welfare of people who use services, assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision, and complaints.
“The assessment team reported that the trust was meeting all three standards.”
Inspectors visited three wards at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary: Ince Ward (Cardiology), Swinley Ward (Surgery) and the Acute Stroke Unit (Shevington), and Wards 5 and 6 at Wrightington Hospital.
This was to directly observe care, treatment and support, talk to patients about their current experience of the hospital and speak to staff who work on these wards.
The CQC concluded that patients receive appropriate care as directed within individual care pathways.
CQC also reviewed the trust’s systems for assessing and monitoring the quality of services it provides.
The commission said the trust demonstrated it had an appropriate framework of governance in place that gathers, records and evaluates information about the quality and safety of care, treatment, support and outcomes of clinical services.
The commission also considered relevant information it holds about the trust received from various other sources.
The CQC also reviewed the management of complaints and concluded that the trust has procedures, followed in practice, for receiving and managing complaints which are monitored and reviewed as required.
Recent changes to these procedures have been implemented.
For example, the Medical Director now meets with all complainants, should their complaint not be resolved within three months of instigation.
Although staff clearly understood the trust’s complaints procedure and management of complaints, they do not receive on-going training in complaints handling.
While CQC was content with the cleanliness and tidiness of the wards it did note that the Stroke Unit at Wigan Infirmary was more “disorganised,” with a generally cluttered environment.
It acknowledged that staff were very busy and at times looked stressed.
The CQC also noted that this ward has recently undergone organisational changes that have resulted in two ward areas being joined and it is still in a period of transition.
A total of 14 patients and 13 staff across both locations were interviewed. Without exception CQC was informed during discussions with patients, of high levels of satisfaction with the care received. Most staff felt happy with the level and frequency of training available and newly qualified staff felt effectively supported by other colleagues or Ward Managers.
Ms Mcmillan added: “Following this unannounced visit I am satisfied that the trust is meeting essential standards.
“I am also reassured that the Chief Executive and the senior management team have an up to date assessment of the day to day running of the wards visited.
“And while there are a few actions the trust has to take in respect of record keeping, tidiness on one ward, and regular complaints management training, we did not deem these sufficiently serious that they warranted compliance action.
“However, we will continue to monitor progress. Finally, I would like to thank the patients, visitors and staff who provided us with vital evidence during our visit.”
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Weather for Wigan
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 25 C
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
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