Two Tees trust hospitals 'require improvement' watchdog finds

Medical and surgical wards at James Cook University Hospital were inspected

Two hospitals run by the South Tees NHS Foundation Trust require improvement, the health watchdog has found.

It follows visits by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors to medical and surgical wards at Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital and the Friarage, in Northallerton.

They highlighted concerns about patient risk assessments, nutrition and hydration and unsafe discharges.

The trust said it had already taken action and was making more changes.

Inspectors looked at the quality of the environment and observed how staff were caring for patients when they visited in February, following concerns raised by other health and social care organisations.

They found that at both hospitals while staff worked hard and treated patients with kindness, there was not always always enough nursing and support staff to care for and keep them safe.

There were issues around nutrition and hydration - sometimes meals were left at the end of the bed, and people were unable to reach.

There had also been an increase in inappropriate discharge, with some patients going home without important medicines or social care packages in place which could put them at risk of harm.

Inspectors also visited The Friarage Hospital in February

Sarah Dronsfield, CQC's head of hospital inspection, said: "We saw on the trust's own incident reporting system that the frequency and number of incidents where people had come to harm had increased over recent months.

"Other organisations had also voiced their concerns about these issues prior to the inspection.

"Despite asking the trust for evidence of learning and changes they had made as a result these incidents; we saw the same type of incidents reoccurring.

"We were therefore not assured that the trust was learning from its incidents and had strong systems in place to ensure that this happened."

In response to the findings, the trust said it had cared for almost 7,000 covid patients since the pandemic struck - and how 500 covid-related staff absences hit at the peak of winter's surge.

Officials said £8m had been spent on new digital systems, which included a new way of recording food and drink assessments for patients.

A care hub has also been created to help people get home safely and more than 200 extra nurses and midwives have been recruited.

Chief nurse Dr Hilary Lloyd said the trust fully accepted the findings and its staff had "acted immediately" on the CQC's feedback.

She added: "I am pleased that inspectors also found that doctors and nurses worked well together for the benefit of patients across multidisciplinary teams, and treated patients with compassion and kindness.

"The CQC also praised the responsiveness of colleagues at all levels of the organisation, and we are determined to continue making the necessary changes and learning and improving as part of our recovery from the pandemic."