Gloucestershire Royal Hospital A&E 'requires improvement'

The trust said it was improving ambulance drop-off times by establishing additional drop-off points

The Trust that runs Gloucestershire Royal Hospital has been told it needs to improve its emergency department.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found some patients were treated in corridors, that their "dignity and respect were compromised", and social distancing was not always possible.

The rating for the department went down to requires improvement but the rating for the hospital overall remains good.

The Trust said it was determined to improve care for its patients.

An unannounced inspection took place in March and looked at whether the emergency department was safe, responsive and well-led.

Long delays

Cath Campbell, CQC's head of hospital inspections, said: "It was clear that staff within Gloucestershire Royal Hospital's emergency department were delivering patient focused care in incredibly challenging circumstances.

"However, we did have concerns regarding the flow through the emergency department, as unprecedented numbers caused by the Covid-19 pandemic meant that some patients were being treated in corridors in the department."

Other concerns raised included:

• Patients did not always receive care and treatment promptly, despite significant efforts made to keep them safe.

• Patients could experience long delays in handovers from ambulance crews. Delays can cause harm to patients, lengthen response times and delay ambulances needed in the community.

However, the CQC said there were many positive findings too:

• Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse and acted on any concerns.

• All observed patient interactions were judged to be caring, kind and empathetic.

• Staff kept detailed and comprehensive records of patients' care and treatment.

• Leaders in the emergency department understood and managed priorities and issues.

• The department had resolved other patient flow problems (relating to a patient's treatment from the front door to the ward).

'Extraordinary circumstances'

Rob Stacey, emergency medicine consultant and speciality director, said: "While we are disappointed that the CQC rated urgent and emergency care services as requiring improvement given the efforts of all staff, we are absolutely committed to turning this around for our patients."

The trust said it had introduced a number of measures that were having "a positive impact". These included eliminating corridor care, creating additional ambulance space and introducing new processes to speed up clinical assessments.

Prof Mark Pietroni, director of safety, added: "Given the momentous challenges we've faced over the last year in response to the pandemic it's right to recognise that Gloucestershire Royal has maintained its good rating overall.

"That's a real credit to the incredible effort put in by our staff in the last year - they've gone through so much to deliver patient care in quite extraordinary circumstances."