Expired medicines found by inspectors in hospital

Inspectors said they found expired medicine and gaps in expiry dates in Walsall Manor Hospital's critical care services

Expired medicines were found by inspectors in a Black Country hospital, as part of an unannounced inspection of its critical care services.

Walsall Manor Hospital has been told by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) that the department, which includes the intensive care unit (ICU), requires improvement.

Inspectors said they found expired medicine, gaps in expiry dates, and a lack of action in relation to fridge temperatures not being the correct temperature, during their inspection on 26-27 February and 3 March.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust said it had developed an action plan since seeing the report.

Lisa Carroll, chief nursing officer at the trust, said the teams were continuing to work through the plan.

It is not the first time that the hospital's management of medicines has been criticised.

The latest CQC report said inspectors found the critical care services did not always make sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

According to the report, a number of nurses were working additional shifts in other areas of the trust, breaching European Union working time conventions.

A large number of consultants also did not meet mandatory training compliance rates and infection control measures such as arms bare below the elbow were not always followed.

In regards to security, inspectors were able to tailgate staff through the intensive care unit several times without challenge.

Rehabilitation services were also being reduced and compliance with learning disability and mental health training was low, according to inspectors.

However, the report also referenced a large range of positives in the critical care services.

Staffing levels met the recommended levels on each day of the assessment and risk assessments were completed consistently.

The service did well in its audits around compliance with pain management and nutrition and hydration audits.

There were processes to record incidents and the inspectors heard of learning as a result.

Ward rounds and safety huddles were found to be "thorough and holistic" and a sepsis outreach response team had been formed since the hospital's last CQC inspection, leading to an improvement in the hospital's sepsis figures.