Urgent and emergency services at Wigan’s main hospital, the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, have received a ‘good’ rating following an unannounced inspection by the Care Quality Commission. The inspection took place in February and March, with concerns raised about safety despite the overall positive rating.
While the hospital maintained its ‘good’ rating in areas such as leadership, effective caring, and responsiveness, the safety rating dropped from ‘good’ to ‘requires improvement’. The staff were found to not always start treatment for sepsis promptly, and some had not completed mandatory training in key areas such as resuscitation and safeguarding.
Feedback from service users was generally positive about staff, but concerns were raised about waiting times and communication. The CQC commended the hospital for having the right policies and procedures in place to handle incidents, with a focus on learning and improvement from safety incidents and complaints.
The deputy director of operations at CQC noted a positive culture at the hospital where staff worked well together despite challenging circumstances. However, improvements were identified in areas such as timeliness of services and addressing staff shortages, particularly in the consultant department.
In response to the report, the chief nursing officer expressed pride in the ‘good’ rating for urgent and emergency services, highlighting the staff’s commitment to providing excellent care. Efforts have already been made to address some of the issues raised in the report, including refurbishments to waiting room areas to enhance patient safety and experience.
Despite the challenges faced by the hospital, the commitment to delivering safe and effective care remains a top priority. The Trust reassures the public and patients that they are dedicated to continuous improvement and providing compassionate care in a safe environment.