Great Western Hospital must improve poor emergency department says Care Quality Commission report
Health watchdogs have told Swindon's Great Western Hospital it must improve some of its services after it was found to have poor staffing levels and patient management.
Overall, the overall trust and main hospital in Swindon have been rated as "Requires Improvement", with maternity and gynaecology services and end of life care rated as Good overall.
The hospital's emergency department was singled out because people were queuing in the corridors.
The CQC report says although the hospital needs improvement, it was rated good for caring overall.
The report raised concerns with staffing and how this impacted upon patient safety. It also said within the emergency department the design and layout meant that waiting patients, including children, were not adequately observed.
Staffing levels also did not take into account the requirement to care for patients who queued in the corridor or the sub-waiting room.
There were also concerns about the level of staffing within the children's emergency department, the midwife to patient ratio did not meet recommended levels and one-to-one care for women in established labour was not achieved all of the time.
The Care Quality Commission says it has identified 26 specific areas for improvement, including:
The access and flow of patients in order to reduce delays from critical care for patients being admitted to wards and reduce occupancy to recommended levels.
Nurse staffing levels and skill mix must be reviewed in the emergency department including children's Emergency Department, the Emergency Department observation unit and minor injury units.
The trust must ensure the provision of single sex accommodation.
Patients with mental health issues on medical wards must be appropriately managed.
The trust must monitor the time self-presenting patients wait to be assessed in the emergency department and take appropriate action to ensure their safety. This must include taking steps to improve the observation of patients waiting to be assessed so that those who are seriously unwell are seen promptly.
Professor Sir Mike Richards, Chief Inspector of Hospitals at the Care Quality Commission, said:
What have your experiences of the Great Western Hospital been like? Have you received emergency care there that was either good or bad? We would like to hear from you.
Get in contact with us on Facebook and Twitter or email us at westcountry@itv.com.