CQC publishes inspection report on University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has released its findings following inspections of urgent and emergency services, medical services, and surgery at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
The trust manages Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Solihull Hospital, and Good Hope Hospital.
The inspection was prompted by concerns raised about the quality of the three services inspected. Upon review, the concerns were found to be unfounded.
Ratings summary:
Urgent and emergency services at Solihull Hospital
Rated Good overall. This includes specific ratings of Good for being safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. This was the first inspection of the service.
Surgery at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital
Overall rating remains Requires Improvement. Safe and responsive also remain requires improvement, while effective, caring, and well-led remain Good.
Medical services at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital
Overall rating remains Requires Improvement, with safe, effective, and well-led also requires improvement. Caring and responsive remain Good.
The Trust’s overall rating remains Requires Improvement.
Key findings:
Urgent and emergency services at Solihull Hospital:
• A strong learning culture was evident.
• Patients received care in a safe and personalised environment.
• Staff effectively controlled infection risks and reported incidents appropriately.
Surgery at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital:
• Staff performed daily safety checks and worked within a clear management structure.
• Risks from staff shortages were mitigated by using additional resources, including bank staff.
• Patients were involved in treatment decisions and reported feeling like partners in their care.
Medical Services at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital:
• Patients felt safe and included in decisions about their care.
• Staff regularly discussed incidents to ensure learning and improvement.
• A clear and effective management structure supported care delivery.
Charlotte Rudge, CQC Deputy Director of Operations in the Midlands, noted: “When we inspected University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, we found staff who put people first to deliver the best possible care. Whilst improvements were needed in some areas, we saw managers putting improvement plans in place, mitigating risks and learning from incidents.
“In surgery, people told us the level of care they’d received was excellent and that all staff were responsive, caring and helpful. However, there were frequent staff shortages with some staff saying they felt care was unsafe as a result. Managers took appropriate steps to address vacancies with the resources they had available, and recruitment was ongoing.
“In urgent and emergency services, people were usually seen within four hours and staff acted quickly if someone was at risk of deterioration. Staff worked effectively in a multidisciplinary team to discuss and improve people’s care, and a therapy team was available for people needing support once they returned home.
“In medical services, people spoke positively and passionately about the care they received. Leaders were present on the wards and staff felt comfortable raising concerns with them. Staff were delivering person-centred care on the wards we visited and involving people in their own care to ensure they understood their condition and treatment plans.
“We will continue to monitor the trust, including through future inspections, to ensure the standard of care is sustained and any required improvements are made so people can continue to receive safe and appropriate care.”