The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability Responds to CQC Report
The RHN was pleased to be a pilot for the new type of CQC inspection and felt that going through this process would help us to improve our service.
Some hospitals and healthcare trusts receive a “rating” following inspection but because we are part of the pilot project we do not.
The CQC have identified four “must do” points for improvement, all relating to area which had been identified by the RHN prior to the CQC visit in June 2015 and were already subject to robust action plans before receipt of the final report in mid-October.
We would like to reassure patients, their families and those who commission our services that progress has already been made in robustly addressing these matters. We are working closely with the CQC on the required timescales to achieve the changes needed.
Progress is being achieved through improved and enhanced training for all staff and we are reviewing our medical cover arrangements. One area highlighted by the CQC references training, however, as we operate in a complex medical environment, by necessity, our staff are highly specialised and these skills are not always transferable across the hospital and the range of brain injuries we deal with. There is a national shortage of nurses and we have an ongoing recruitment campaign to address this issue and minimise our use of agency staff.
Regarding the CQC comments referencing consent, there are obvious complexities in gaining consent from our patients with severe brain injuries and we work with them and their families to find the most appropriate solutions with their best interests at the centre of all we do.
The report highlights the many positive examples of good quality care and support the inspectors saw during their visit, along with complimentary comments directly from patients and their families, who remain our focus and priority at all times.
There were also extremely positive references to care and the inspectors noted that staff treated patients with dignity and respect and that the overall feeling of the hospital is of “caring and well-meaning staff that genuinely cared for patients”.
Chief Executive Paul Allen says,
“We are delighted the CQC recognised our use of technology and our exceptional chaplaincy service. The RHN is a unique environment. We have been providing rehabilitation and long-term care for people with profound disabilities for many years. We constantly strive to make sure the complex regulated environment within which we operate is adhered to in ways which are relevant and appropriate to the patient group we care for. The CQC recognize that we provide excellent support for patients and their families.
Patients, their families and those who commission our services can be assured that the safety and wellbeing of all those entrusted to our care is our priority at all times. It is a privilege to care for those who use our services at the RHN and we will do all we can to ensure we continue to provide the very highest standards of care.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability provides specialist rehabilitation and care for people living with complex neuro-disability.
The report highlighted many areas of excellence at the RHN. These included; our chaplaincy service which supports patients, families and staff; our Augmentative and Alternative Communication Service, helping people communicate following brain injury; the range of activities available for people and our commitment to supporting people’s religious beliefs.
The inspectors also particularly noted that they saw positive, kind and cheerful interaction between care and nursing staff and patients. They also stated the standard of physical hygiene of patients was good and met the NICE Quality Standard 10 in respect of personal hygiene and other physical needs.