The Isle of Wight NHS Trust respond in full below to the CQC report released today (7th March 2019) issuing a warning notice to the Trust. Ed
The CQC inspection of the emergency department at St Mary’s hospital, in January, during the winter pressures period has been really helpful in acknowledging how services have improved, but also where we still need to provide better services to patients.
The report vividly captures the dedication and professionalism of staff, but also the significant pressure they can be working under. Staff spoke positively with the inspectors about working in the ED and the inspectors also commented on the improvements to patient flow through the department.
All critically ill patients were seen quickly and treated properly. Junior doctors also spoke well of the quality of the training they received.
Working under strain
The inspectors also saw and want improvements to the strain the ED can at times be working under. We agree with them that patients must be treated in appropriate clinical areas and that there is a major impact on the experience of patients and staff when there are not enough staff available.
In particular this impacts how we monitor and handover patients properly at all times and creates additional stress for staff when we cannot fill the full rota on a shift due to unplanned absence or sickness at short notice.
The CQC’s report is welcome for the recognition it gives of the progress we have made, the care we provide and the commitment and excellence of our staff.
Take warning notice seriously
However, we take very seriously the warning notice they have given us on where we need to continue to improve.
We need enough staff and the right environment to truly provide the quality of care that patients expect and that we and our staff want to provide. We have made the commitment to increase staffing and now are focussing on finding staff to work in the Trust and join our dedicated teams.
£1.5 million investment
The Trust invested £1.5 million in this financial year to increase staffing numbers and £1.3 million on improvements to the department. A further £250,000 will be spent next to improve the layout of the department.
This investment in staff and the department’s space means that we will have a dedicated Minor Injuries and Illness area combined with GP services to create a dedicated Urgent Care.
Modernising Shackleton Ward
A further investment which we have wanted to make for some time, and which also addresses concerns raised by the earlier CQC inspection is that we will be investing £200,000 to refurbish and modernise Shackleton Ward.
This work will start at the beginning of April and take nine weeks and result in an enhanced ward that is designed for the needs, comfort, dignity, care and safety of our patients.
Critchley: Government needs to properly fund our NHS
Island Labour Chair, Julian Critchley, said
“This is almost getting to the stage of victim-blaming now. We already know that the Tories have been systematically underfunding the NHS on the Island for the last decade.
“To then come in and bash the staff of the Trust for their attempt to maintain services to Islanders despite those externally-imposed funding cuts is just plain wrong.
“The Government needs to stop pretending that healthcare can be provided on the cheap, and properly fund our NHS.”
Article edit
12.10: Comment added from Julian Critchley
Image: © Used with the kind permission of Auntie P
