Stepping Hill Hospital praised for A&E improvements

Inspectors were impressed with how staff treated people with "kindness and compassion"

A hospital rated inadequate by inspectors two years ago has been praised for making improvements.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has welcomed changes in urgent and emergency care at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

The hospital, run by Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, has been reclassified as "requires improvement" overall.

The trust said the report was a "testament" to its staff's hard work.

The CQC's unannounced inspection in November was carried out to check improvements had been made since a previous visit in August 2020.

Among the concerns highlighted previously were patients left at high risk of harm during periods of heavy demand, staff shortages and staff who were "not competent for their roles".

The new report said inspectors found urgent and emergency care had improved from inadequate to good overall and for being safe and well-led.

"It has gone from requires improvement to good for being effective and caring. Responsive has gone from inadequate to requires improvement," the report said.

Karen Knapton, CQC's head of hospital inspections, said: "We acknowledge the efforts of the emergency care team at Stepping Hill Hospital.

"We found staff provided good care and treated people with compassion and kindness.

"They gave patients, their families and carers help, emotional support and advice when they needed it. Also, the service has been tailored to meet individual needs, including those living with dementia or a learning disability. "

Inspectors noted how staff had done well despite pressures from the coronavirus pandemic

She also said inspectors were impressed by the rapid assessment and treatment unit in the ambulance handover area where patients are triaged before moving to the main emergency department.

Ms Knapton noted the reduction in ambulance handover times with ambulance crews waiting with patients in corridors was rare.

Trust chief executive Karen James said: "This is good news for colleagues, who have put so much work in over many months to making improvements; and good news for patients, who can be assured about the quality of care they receive.

"The latest rating is a testament to not only the work our A&E team has put into improving the services, but also to the support they have received from many teams and individuals."

Ms James said the report came as its services continued to bear extreme pressure amid the pandemic.

She added: "It has undoubtedly given our hard working colleagues a much needed boost."

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