Video: Hospital at the centre of CQC critcism
The Care Quality Commission has issued a formal warning to Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership over levels of staffing at Blackberry Hill Hospital in Bristol.
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Hospital trust say they 'accept concerns'
– Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS TrustWe fully accept the concerns raised by the CQC and have taken immediate action to address them.
Prior to the CQC inspection of Fromeside in December 2012, we were aware that staffing levels and the mix of skills and experience on some wards needed to be improved in order to enhance the level of care we offer. The very specialist nature of our forensic services and the need for us to ensure we have experienced and highly trained staff in this environment has and will continue to be a challenge.
They added:
– Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS TrustWe have now appointed an experienced service manager with significant forensic experience to manage the service. We have increasing management and staff engagement to ensure there is a forum for discussing any concerns and for action to be taken where necessary to resolve them.
The quality of patient care, and ensuring that we deliver the programmes of care, remain the priority of the Trust at all times.
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Staff became 'tired of reporting their concerns'
– Ian Biggs, Deputy Director of CQC in the SouthStaff told us that shortages had become so commonplace that they had become tired of reporting their concerns as they perceived that nothing was done about it, but this cannot be allowed to continue.
The trust has assured us that they will be taking action to address our concerns and meet the standards. They are required to show us how they will go about this. We will return in the near future and if we find that they are not making the required progress we will consider further how to use our legal powers to protect the patients who use the service."
Report finds 'over reliance on temporary staff'
Inspectors say there weren't enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs. Below are the main findings of the CQC report into staffing levels at the Blackberry Hill Hospital in Bristol.
- There was an over reliance on temporary bank staff, who may not have had the necessary training to undertake the full range of duties on a medium secure unit.
- Even though many patients at Fromeside were only permitted to leave the ward with staff escorts, staff shortages restricted people's ability to leave the ward.
- Patients and staff said that leave was regularly cancelled or disrupted, leading to further problems affecting staff and patient morale.
CQC warn health trust over staffing levels at Bristol hospital
The Care Quality Commission has issued a formal warning to Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership over levels of staffing at Blackberry Hill Hospital in Bristol.
It followed an unannounced inspection of three wards at the Fromeside Unit in December. The medium secure unit provides specialist care and treatment for adults with mental disorders, which may mean that they are at significant risk of harming themselves or others.
Inspectors found that the unit was failing to comply with the national regulation on staffing and did not have not enough qualified, skilled or experienced staff to meet people's needs.
Hospital to reduce number of heart operations following CQC report
Bristol Children's Hospital is to reduce the number of heart operations carried out after a formal warning over staffing levels on its cardiac unit.
It follows complaints by parents and a spot inspection by the regulator, the Care Quality Commission.
Inspectors found there weren't enough qualified, skilled or experienced staff and patients were being put at risk.
Six families are currently pursuing legal action against the hospital's trust after their children underwent heart surgery at the hospital.
Our health correspondent Rebecca Broxton reports:
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Hospital boss gives his reaction
The head of the trust which runs Bristol Children's Hospital, Robert Woolley, says he's very disappointed by the findings of the CQC:
Parents: "It's too little too late"
The parents of Sean Turner, Yolanda and Steve, have given The West Country Tonight their reaction to the Care Quality Commission's report into Bristol Children's Hospital:
Health watchdog says service at children's hospital is improving
Hospital boss "disappointed" by criticism
The head of the trust which runs Bristol Children's Hospital says he's very disappointed by the findings of the CQC.
– Robert Woolley, Chief Executive UBHTI was very disappointed by the CQC’s findings following its inspection of one of our wards in the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, the paediatric cardiac ward. No family should leave the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children believing that we did not provide the best care possible for their child. I am deeply concerned that some families believe that we have let them down and will continue to ensure that we address their concerns and bring forward our plans to develop a high dependency unit.
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