- NHS hospital
Bradford Royal Infirmary
Assessment report published 22 July 2026
Contents
Ratings - Urgent and emergency services
Our view of the service
Bradford Royal Infirmary emergency department (ED) is based in Bradford and part of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We carried out an unannounced assessment of urgent and emergency care services 16, 17,18, 22 and 30 September 2025 as part of our preparation for the well led assessment.
We assessed this service using our single assessment framework and looked at all key questions and quality statements. Bradford Royal Infirmary provided urgent and emergency care services to the population of Bradford and the wider community. The department was designed to receive approximately 250 patients each day however at the time of the inspection was receiving an average of approximately 400 patients each day. There were 4 resuscitation bays available for critically ill patients.
We visited the green, amber and red zones, high dependency unit (HDU) within the resuscitation area, waiting room, same day emergency care (SDEC) and fit to sit areas as part of this inspection. We spoke with 15 patients and their family members who used the service, 20 staff, including nurses, health care assistants, advanced care practitioners, resident doctors, security staff, receptionists, consultants and senior managers. We also spoke with paramedics bringing patients to the department and pharmacy staff. We observed care and treatment, inspected adult and paediatric patients’ care records in each area we visited, and reviewed the trust’s audits and performance reports and minutes.
We found 5 breaches of regulation. The service was in breach of the legal regulations relating to safe care and treatment, premises and equipment, staffing, person centred-care and good governance. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.
People's experience of this service
During the assessment, feedback was gathered from patients, families and carers about their experiences of the service. Views were mixed. Some people reported positive experiences, describing effective communication and feeling listened to by staff. However, others felt their concerns were not always heard or addressed in a timely way.
Areas of concern included delays within the department, extended waiting times for pain relief, assistance with personal care needs, and perceptions of safety while waiting for treatment. Some people described long waits for support and medication, and a number of concerns were raised about the environment in waiting areas during periods of high demand.
Feedback indicated that many people recognised the pressures faced by staff and acknowledged their efforts to provide compassionate care in a challenging and busy environment. Several comments reflected the view that staffing levels were not always sufficient to meet demand, despite staff remaining professional, approachable and committed to supporting patients.
We also reviewed a range of patient experience information including Friends and Family Test (FFT) feedback and CQC national patient surveys.