Royal Cornwall Hospital ambulance queues 'a major issue'

Queues of ambulances have been a regular sight outside the Emergency Department at Treliske in recent months

Inspectors have said the number of ambulances waiting outside the Royal Cornwall Hospital is a "major issue".

A team from the Care Quality Commission visited the emergency department in March and found that overall it "felt controlled" and was being managed well.

The team also visited the medical care and urgent care departments at West Cornwall Hospital.

Inspectors praised staff but said many felt the ambulance delays were affecting patient outcomes.

The letter from the CQC was sent in advance of a full inspection report and was reported to the Trust board meeting on Thursday, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

In February the Trust said it had been busier than at any point during the pandemic, and a social care critical incident was declared in January.

In many cases patients who were ready to be discharged from hospital could not be because ongoing care packages were not available.

The CQC letter explained that the delays were having an impact on staff, stating: "Staff are frustrated about the delays and do not feel that they are achieving a good outcome for patients."

It added that nurse staffing the department was an "issue" and highlighted "significant staff turnover".

However the section on the emergency department concluded by saying: "Staff's frustration at all levels demonstrated how dedicated and passionate they are to care for patients.

"Patients were at the centre of care.

"Patients we spoke with were complimentary of the care they had received."

Inspectors found that a ward established to look after patients who were medically fit to leave hospital but were awaiting care packages or assessment "had not completely served the purpose it was intended for".

They praised staff in all three departments they visited, saying they showed "commitment and dedication" and were "very knowledgeable".

The full report is expected later this month.