Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust has failed to protect people’s safety and welfare

16 October 2013

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust it must make urgent improvements to comply with two of the national standards of quality and safety at its children’s inpatient services based at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

This follows an unannounced inspection at the Holly Ward at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, at Hinchingbrooke Park, Huntingdon, on 3 September 2013.

Inspectors assessed three of the national standards of quality and safety at the hospital, and found two were not being met.

The standards not being met at the trust related to the care and welfare of people who use services, and staffing. As a result of the inspection, CQC has asked the trust to provide an action plan in relation to these two standards.

What inspectors found:

Inspectors observed that staffing cover across the ward was often below the minimum level that the trust considered necessary to ensure patients received the most effective care.

There was no evidence that inadequate staffing levels were being monitored. However, it was noted that two additional nurses had been appointed recently and a third post was being advertised.

The trust had also temporarily closed some assessment beds on occasion, to ensure safe staffing levels were maintained. These assessment beds were moved to the main inpatient ward area.

In addition, records showed that nurses had not received any clinical supervision. Inspectors were told this was because senior staff were busy covering unfilled nursing shifts.

The trust did not have robust arrangements in place to ensure that patients experienced nursing care that met their needs and protected their rights.

For example, some written care plans were incomplete, out of date and did not provide enough information to support staff. Some plans did not evaluate or describe all of the nursing care to be provided.

All of these issues reduced the trust's ability to safely provide patients with the nursing care they required.

Andrea Gordon, Deputy Director of Operations (regions) for CQC, said: “Although our inspectors saw some good practice, the failings we found at the Holly Ward are a real concern.

“CQC has been working to ensure the safety and wellbeing of patients at this service and we have told the trust changes need to be made.

“We have been working closely with our partner agencies with regard to the trust and we will be closely monitoring its progress on the improvements it needs to make.

“Our inspectors will return in the near future and if we find the required progress is not made we won’t hesitate to take further action where necessary.”

For further information please contact Helen Gildersleeve, regional communications officer, on 0191 233 3379 or CQC’s press office on 0207 448 9401 or out of hours on 07917 232 143.