Background to this inspection
Updated
17 October 2019
Fleetwood Hospital is a community unit that serves residents from Wyre and the surrounding area. The Trust provides a range of outpatient services and physiotherapy from Fleetwood Hospital.
The outpatient department offers a number of consultant-led clinics for people of all ages from Monday to Friday of each week. The clinics include rheumatology, dermatology, diabetic, urology, general medicine, ear, nose and throat, orthopaedic, podiatry and ophthalmology.
During our inspection we:
- spoke with 20 members of staff across all specialisms and grades, including managers at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
- spoke with two patients and received feedback cards from another 38 patients
- reviewed four sets of patient records
- reviewed trust policies and standard operating procedures relating to outpatient services
- observed care delivered to patients.
- looked at the environment and equipment in outpatient areas.
Updated
17 October 2019
Our rating of services went down. We rated it them as requires improvement because:
- We rated safe and well led as requires improvement and caring and responsive as good for outpatient services. We do not rate effective in outpatient services.
- Risks to patients were not always assessed and recorded appropriately. Records were sometimes unavailable for patient appointments and some records were illegible.
- There was a lack of visibility of senior leaders within services at Fleetwood Hospital.
- Governance processes were not effective as information was not always shared with staff and issues of risk were not always escalated appropriately.
Updated
17 October 2019
Our rating of this service went down. We rated it as requires improvement because:
- We were not provided with a breakdown of mandatory and safeguarding training compliance data for staff at Fleetwood Hospital.
- Staff did not effectively record risks to patients, such as allergies. There was a risk that staff would not have the information readily available to enable them to minimise risks. Care records were not kept well and patient records were not available at all times to staff.
- The service did not always take account of patients’ individual needs.
- The service was not always focused on the needs of patients receiving care.
- Senior leaders were not always visible and approachable in the service for patients and staff. They supported staff to develop their skills but there were limited opportunities for staff to take on more senior roles.
- Staff did not understand or were not aware of the service’s vision and values.
- Governance processes were not always effective throughout the service although relevant departmental risks were identified locally and information and change was not always communicated well to all staff.
However:
- The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. The service controlled infection risk well. They managed medicines well. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them. Staff collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
- Staff provided good care and treatment. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients, advised them on how to lead healthier lives, supported them to make decisions about their care, and had access to good information. Key services were available five days a week.
- Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.
- The service planned care to meet the needs of local people and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for treatment.