Stepping Hill Hospital A&E rated 'inadequate' amid safety fears

The Care Quality Commission also reported high levels of stress among staff and poor leadership

A hospital A&E department has been rated "inadequate" after inspectors found patients at "high risk of avoidable harm".

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) reported a "range of regulation breaches" and a shortage of nurses at Stepping Hill hospital's A&E unit.

It also criticised maternity and children's services.

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust's chief executive said the trust had taken "immediate steps" to improve.

Overall the hospital was rated as requiring improvement with outpatient care, surgery, critical and end-of-life care rated as "good".

The CQC inspected Stepping Hill Hospital in January and February and found A&E performance "had deteriorated significantly" since its last inspection in 2018.

Inspectors found shortcomings "relating to patient-centred care, dignity and respect, safe care and treatment, environment and equipment, good governance, and staffing".

Their report said the service "could not assure itself that staff were competent for their roles" and patient outcomes "were not always positive or met expectations in line with national standards".

"People were not always kept safe and were at high risk of avoidable harm during periods of heavy demand on the service," it said.

It also reported high levels of stress among staff and poor leadership.

Staff shortages

Inspectors also criticised the maternity service, which provides care to more than 3,000 women each year.

It found the unit did not have enough midwifery staff in line with national recommendations.

Children's services were also rated as requiring improvement amid staff shortages.

Trust chief executive Louise Robson said staff were "very disappointed" and admitted the care was "not of the standard we want for our patients, and I sincerely apologise for that".

She said: "We took immediate steps, and we continue to work on them every day. The inspectors put the spotlight on a number of areas for us to improve, and we are."