The Care Quality Commission has found that services provided by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust at Torbay hospital have improved.
CQC inspectors visited the emergency department and medical wards in May to follow up the findings from a previous inspection in February 2016 and assess if improvements had been made. Previously, urgent and emergency services had been rated as Inadequate and medical care was rated Requires Improvement.
As a result of this inspection both services have been rated as Good.
Inspectors found that in the urgent and emergency services, there had been significant improvements in terms of safety, quality, performance and patient experience.
A new mental health assessment room provided a safe and calming space for patients in mental health crisis.
A new children’s department had been created, which provided a secure, child-friendly area.
A new system of triage and rapid assessment had been introduced which improved patient safety, flow and experience. There were more nurses, improved consultant cover and patient waiting times were better than the national average for hospitals in England.
On the medical wards, inspectors found staff were caring and compassionate and treated patients with dignity and respect, and as individuals, effectively keeping them informed about their care.
Emergency admissions units were used effectively to admit and assess patients in a timely way. Patients who were admitted out of hours were normally seen by a consultant if that was needed. Staff from all disciplines worked well together inside and outside the hospital and this was particularly noticeable at times of high demand. Planning for patient discharges was effective and included community-based staff to ensure support was in place for the patients who needed it.
The Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Ted Baker said:
“It was clear during our inspection that Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has made significant improvements to its emergency department and medical wards since our inspection in February 2016.
“We found a more supportive, open culture was apparent throughout the inspection with staff feeling more connected to the leadership group and encouraged to suggest improvements or to raise concerns.
“If the trust can ensure that these are lasting improvements, then it is a significant achievement. On behalf of their patients, all the staff should be congratulated for the work they have done”.
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We found a more supportive, open culture was apparent throughout the inspection.
Professor Ted Baker, Chief Inspector of Hospitals