The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has again rated surgery services at Salford Royal Hospital, run by the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, as requires improvement following an inspection from 19 to 21 May.
CQC carried out the inspection to check if improvements had been made after the trust was issued a warning notice in October last year. This was due to significant concerns relating to staffing, as well as its systems and processes to manage risks to people’s safety.
The inspection was also carried out due to concerns regarding management and safety processes in the gynaecology, spinal and neurosurgery services.
During this latest inspection, CQC found the service had made sufficient improvements to comply with the warning notice. However, further work was needed to ensure people receive safe care.
At this latest inspection, inspectors found 12 breaches of regulation relating to safe care and treatment, good management and staffing.
CQC has re-rated safe, effective, responsive and well-led as requires improvement. Caring has improved from requires improvement to good.
Salford Royal Hospital remains rated as requires improvement.
Gill Hodgson-Reilly, CQC deputy director of operations in the north-west, said:
“When we inspected surgery services at Salford Royal Hospital, we found that leaders and staff had made some improvements since our visit last October, however more work was needed to ensure people receive safe, consistent care.
“The trust had taken some action to improve staff vacancies and sickness rates, however they weren’t fully embedded, and more changes were needed to reduce risks to people’s safety.
“Leaders also needed to reduce people’s length of stay in hospital, readmissions following surgery, and improve its discharge processes. The trust needs to prioritise this, so people receive the care they need in a timely manner, without being in hospital longer than they need to be.
“However, it was positive to hear that staff treated people with compassion and kindness and considered their individual needs. They also told us that they felt there were enough staff on the wards who responded promptly to their needs.
“We’ve shared our findings with the trust and told leaders where further improvements are needed to keep people safe. We will continue to monitor the service to ensure improvements are embedded and sustained.”
Inspectors found:
- The trust didn’t make sure that people could access care, support and treatment when they needed it.
- The service didn’t always investigate and learn lessons from incidents in a timely way, in accordance with trust policies to help prevent them from re-occurring.
- Some staff hadn’t completed life support training relevant to their roles, which could put people at risk.
- Staff didn’t always assess or manage the risk of infection. Hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment was still below the trust’s standards.
However, inspectors also found:
- People and relatives told CQC they felt safe and didn’t have any safeguarding concerns.
- The service supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduced their future need for care and support.