Calls have been made for Southport Hospital to receive greater levels of support and funding after the latest Care Quality Commission report about standards there.
England’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals found several areas of concern across Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust and rated services unchanged at “Requires Improvement” overall.
The Trust was rated “Requires Improvement” for being safe, effective and responsive. It was also rated “Inadequate” for being well-led and “Good for Caring”.
At Southport Hospital the ratings for services stayed the same – “Requires Improvement”. A number of problems were identified from not securing patients’ notes securely to their risk assessments not being completed consistently.
It was found that while mandatory training levels had improved, In surgery, records showed that not all theatre recovery staff had completed immediate or advanced life support training. Across the hospital staff did not follow the trust’s infection control policy in relation to nursing patients with communicable diseases. At the time of the inspection areas within the hospital were not visibly clean. This included areas within spinal injuries, urgent and emergency care, surgery and medical wards.
The rating for the North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre which is located the hospital, actually went down to “Requires Improvement” from it’s previous “Good” standard.
Ellen Armistead, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals, North, said:
“While we saw some improvements they were limited. At the 2016 inspection we raised concerns regarding patients’ privacy and dignity… Unfortunately, at this inspection we observed patients were being cared for on the corridor in various states of condition and undress.
“The North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre is based at this trust and it’s very disappointing to report that the rating for this service has fallen to Requires Improvement.
“The pace of change needs to be addressed and the trust remains Requires Improvement overall.”
Ormskirk Hospital was rated the same but its children’s emergency department service was rated “Good”.
Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Southport, Liz Savage, says:
“The trust has been going through a tough time over the last couple of years, staff are under huge pressures due to the Conservatives handling of the NHS and it has also had local management issues. It needs greater funding and more support to help ease it through this difficult period.
Damien Moore recently accused us of ‘scaremongering’ when we raised concerns about what was happening at Southport Hospital, claiming all was well there. Will he now accuse the CQC of the same?
When will the town’s MP stop his charade and realise that there are serious issues that need to be addressed here? Our hospital and trust needs strong support and funding, not his weak platitudes.”
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