CQC warns Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust that it has failed to keep patients’ records

16 October 2013

The Care Quality Commission has told Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust that it must make urgent improvements to ensure that it keeps patients’ records in such a way that it protects people from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment.

CQC has issued a formal warning to the trust following an unannounced inspection to check that the hospital had taken action which had been required by an inspection in February.

On the latest inspection in June, CQC spent four days at the hospital visiting older people’s wards, the emergency department, the day surgery unit and the theatre recovery area.

While there had been improvements in some areas, the inspectors found that the hospital was failing to meet five national standards:

• Respecting and involving people
• Care and welfare of people
• Safeguarding people from abuse
• Assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision
• Records

CQC has issued a warning notice to the trust requiring it to take action by 29 November to ensure that it is keeping accurate records on patients’ care and treatment.

Adrian Hughes, regional director of CQC in the South, said: “Earlier this year we identified a series of concerns with the care and treatment of patients, and in response the RUH produced a plan showing how it would improve.

“While some of those concerns have now been addressed – it is clear that on the older people’s wards, the trust was still failing to keep patient records as are required.

“On three of these wards we found the systems for the assessment, planning and delivery of care were not fully effective in ensuring patients’ needs were met. We found records were not being completed consistently including records of patients’ fluid intake and output on these wards.

“Patient’s privacy and dignity were respected. However, on two wards we saw instances where patients were not having their privacy and dignity maintained.

“We have now issued the trust with a formal warning which makes it clear that the trust must make the necessary improvements, or face further action. We will return unannounced in the near future to check that it has made those changes.”

For further information please contact the CQC press office on 0207 448 9239 or out of hours on 07917 232143.

Notes to editors

We have published a full report, which you can read on the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust profile on this site.

Inspectors found that the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust was failing to meet five standards:

• Respecting and involving people
• Care and welfare of people
• Safeguarding people from abuse
• Assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision
• Records

The trust was meeting one standard checked at this inspection:

• Cooperating with other providers

We have asked the provider to send us a report by 30 October 2013, setting out the action they will take to meet the standards.