19 April 2022
During a routine inspection
We rated it as good because:
- The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well.
- Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. They managed medicines well. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them.
- Staff provided good care and treatment, gave patients enough to eat and drink, and gave them pain relief when they needed it. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients.
- Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, and took account of their individual needs.
- The service took account of patients’ individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it.
- Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff felt respected, supported and valued and were clear about their roles and accountabilities.
However:
- We checked the equipment on the resuscitation trolley next to theatres and found that atropine in the anaphylaxis box on the was out of date and had expired in January 2022. There were also two blades in the tracheostomy kit which were out of date and had expired in February and March 2022 and a pair of gloves with the kit which were out of date and had expired in February 2021. The weekly checklist had been ticked as checked and complete even though these items were out of date.
- Not all staff were able to identify who the safeguarding lead was in the hospital.
- Not all staff had a full understanding and knowledge of the duty of candour.
- The service’s staff survey response rates were low.