Health watchdog hands The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust 'good' rating
Medical services still need to improve before Wolverhampton's hospital trust can be dubbed outstanding, the health watchdog has said.
Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission handed The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust a 'good rating' after monitoring its sites over four weeks.
But leaders at the trust have been told 30 areas of improvement are needed to enhance service quality and they must rectify four breaches of legal requirements.
David Loughton CBE, chief executive of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: “We have worked hard since the last inspection.
“The CQC report highlights many of the ways in which our staff have succeeded in delivering better, more responsive services.
“Our main focus is that we are doing everything we can to make sure our patients receive safe care which is high quality, whether they are being treated in one of our hospitals, in a community setting or at home.
“Our staff have worked extremely hard, and continue to do so, in pressurised environments against a back drop of a challenged healthcare system.
“We are looking forward to moving confidently towards an ‘outstanding’ rating.”
The trust was rated as 'requires improvement' three years ago but its overall status improved following an inspection earlier this year.
Inspectors handed 'good' ratings in the 'effective, caring, responsive and well led' categories, but deemed it as requiring improvement in the 'safe' category.
Quality of care had improved since the last inspection, with patient feedback 'consistently positive, inspectors said.
But mandatory training compliance was low and there had been a 'deterioration' in completing required World Health Organisation checklists.
Chief inspector of hospitals Professor Ted Baker, said: “Overall, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust provides good care to the large population that it serves and the trust can be proud of its service.
"We found staff to be dedicated, kind, caring and patient focused. The local management and leadership of services were both knowledgeable and visible.”
The trust manages Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital and West Park Hospital, Cannock Chase Hospital and nine GP practices across Wolverhampton.
Work is now under way to ensure areas listed for improvement are completed 'as soon as possible', the trust said.
Action needed to ensure the trust does not breach health and safety law relates to urgent and emergency care, medical care and surgery.
At New Cross Hospital, medics have been told they must rectify 15 areas breaching legal requirements - including ensuring medicines are stored safely.
Wolverhampton South West MP Eleanor Smith, who was an NHS theatre nurse for 40 years, said: “It’s very good all the hospitals in the trust have achieved a rating of ‘good’ in such difficult circumstances.
"The result is down to the hard work and dedication of all the staff. I know what they do, day in day out, and it’s about the level of care they want to give their patients."
Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden added: "These findings are a credit to everyone who works in the local NHS and ensures the people of Wolverhampton have access to a good quality health service.
"As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the NHS we have to resolve to do what it takes to sustain it and fund it properly for the future.”
