Critical report reveals major hospital failings

Posted: August 29, 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence 

A report carried out by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has revealed major concerns about Bedford Hospital. The report highlighted issues regarding staffing, the monitoring of service quality and the level of care in the elderly-patient wards. After inspectors visited the accident and emergency department, the stroke unit, and two of the three elderly care wards last month, they left the hospital with “major concerns”.

The hospital’s acting chief executive, Stephen Conroy, said that they would address the highlighted issues as quickly and effectively as possible. Mr Conroy continued by saying: “We welcome the rigour of the CQC’s review and are focused on tackling the areas of unacceptable practice identified in order to deliver improvements and ensure the issues are resolved.”

The CQC’s findings are to be published later online.

Last month saw the withdrawl of many trainee junior doctors at the hospital after concerns were raised regarding the number of consultants available for maternity and paediatrics cover during the period of training. Bedford MP, Richard Fuller, called for an inquiry as to why so many trainee doctors were left in that position. As a result, the review focused heavily on the paediatric department. The hospital said that it complied with only one of the nine “essential standards” inspected, the safety and suitability of the premise. Three statutory warning notices were also issued to the hospital.

Mr Conroy said: “This is unacceptable and we are committed to putting that right.”

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