Emergency care at Blackpool Victoria Hospital rated inadequate

The trust that runs Blackpool Victoria Hospital requires improvement overall, the CQC says

The trust that runs Blackpool Victoria Hospital has been ordered to improve urgent and emergency care.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found "risks to patients were not always recognised" and rated emergency care as inadequate.

Inspectors also said not all staff felt respected or valued but there were "pockets of outstanding care."

Chief executive Trish Armstrong-Child said the trust aspired to improve ratings "across every domain".

Overall, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was rated as requires improvement.

The health watchdog said the unannounced inspection which began in September was in response "to continuing concerns about the quality and safety" of urgent and emergency care, medical care, critical care and surgical care services.

Waiting times

Ann Ford, the CQC's deputy chief inspector for the north, said she found the "visibility and oversight" of senior leaders was lacking.

"We also found issues with waiting times in medical and surgical care, staff raised concerns that patients were coming to harm while on the waiting list for significant lengths of time."

Inspectors demanded action to ensure:

• Effective and timely care, including at triage and assessment, to improve patient access and the flow of patients

• Recruitment, retention and appropriate training for medical staff, including in life support and safeguarding

• Incidents are reported, reviewed, and investigated appropriately

Ms Armstrong-Child, who started as chief executive in September, said the trust "recognises and acknowledges the areas highlighted for action" and will work to improve.

She added: "The trust continues to aspire to becoming an outstanding organisation and improving our ratings across every domain.

"It's clear progress has been made since the last inspection in 2019, but there is also much more to do."