The Care Quality Commission (CQC), has welcomed improvements in the quality of services at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. The trust is now rated as Good overall.
The trust is now rated as Good for being effective, caring responsive and well-led and Requires Improvement for being safe. Previously it was rated Requires Improvement overall.
CQC inspected three core services: urgent and emergency care, medical care and surgery between May and June 2019. CQC also looked specifically at management and leadership to answer the key question - Is the trust well led?
CQC has also published the trust’s Use of Resources (UoR) report, which is based on an assessment undertaken by NHS Improvement. The trust has been rated as Requires Improvement for using its resources productively. The combined rating for the trust, considering CQC’s inspection for the quality of services and NHSI’s assessment of Use of Resources, is Good.
You can read the latest reports in full here: www.cqc.org.uk/provider/RN7, once the report has been published on the CQC website.
Dr Nigel Acheson, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals for the south, said:
“Since we last inspected, staff at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust have worked to ensure that improvements have been embedded. I was concerned to hear that within urgent and emergency care, the leadership team lacked stability and there were concerns highlighted that demonstrated a need to strengthen the governance of the department. However, we are assured that these issues are being addressed by the board and that a new leadership team was now in place within the department. We will check what improvements have taken place when we return in due course.
“But, overall, I am pleased that the trust has taken the findings from our previous inspection reports and built on them to provide improved services for their patients. I also want to congratulate them from moving from Requires Improvement to achieving their Good overall rating.
“Our inspectors found a board that understood the challenges to providing high-quality, sustainable services. They were supported by a committed, caring workforce who treated patients with compassion and dignity while providing them with the emotional support they needed.
“We will return at a later date to check on the further progress the trust has made.”
Inspectors found that in urgent and emergency care, staff treated patients with kindness. Often providing emotional support to patients, families and carers. The service did not always control infection risk or medicines well. Patients on Cypress Ward shared mixed sex accommodation. During busy times this area lacked space. Sometimes this meant patients’ dignity, respect and confidentiality was not always maintained.
In the medicine services, staff understood how to protect patients from abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse, and they knew how to apply it. Equipment and the premises were visibly clean. Staff knew how to report incidents or near misses via the trust’s electronic reporting system. Managers investigated incidents and shared lessons learned with the whole team and the wider service.
In surgery, staff understood the service’s vision and values, and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported and valued by managers. Staff were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. They were clear about their roles and accountabilities. The service engaged well with patients and the community to plan and manage services.
Inspectors found that several members of the board were new in post. But, board members had the right skills and abilities to run a service providing high-quality care. There was a clear vision underpinned by values which focused on quality and safety which were understood by staff. There was a focus in place reinforcing the trust’s values with the core message ‘Our Family, Caring for Yours’. Managers across the trust promoted a positive culture that supported and valued staff. It created a sense of common purpose based on shared values.
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