Peterborough City Hospital inspection finds some patients left waiting in ambulances

An inspection has found patients were left waiting in ambulances due to a lack of capacity at Peterborough City Hospital. 

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission visited the emergency department in December. 

They found that whilst most patients were seen in a timely manner, at peak pressure the hospital ran out of beds.

A report from the review said staff were quick to identify and act when patients were at risk of deterioration. 

The checkup was looking at how the emergency department could deal with winter pressures. The Chief Executive of the trust that runs the hospital says she was "really pleased" that the report was a "positive reflection of the hard work" but there were still lessons to be learned.

"We always strive to provide excellent care to our patients and their families during what can be an incredibly difficult and worrying time for them" she said.

Peterborough City Hospital’s urgent and emergency department still has the rating ‘requires improvement’ following the inspection. 

A full report can be found on the CQC website.