Liverpool NHS Trust ordered to improve following safety concerns

A Liverpool NHS Trust has been rated as “requires improvement” by the Care Quality Commission due to concerns over safety and patient care.

 

Inspectors from the watchdog said Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust required improvement in safety while it was classed as inadequate for leadership.

 

The trust have responded that “immediate action” has been taken to address the concerns.

 

The CQC’s chief inspector of hospitals Ted Baker, said the inspections in June and July highlighted concerns that the trust’s leadership team “had a lack of oversight of what was happening at the frontline”.

 

He added “Lengthy delays” and “poor monitoring” were putting patients at serious risk of harm, and the trust was rated as requires improvement overall.

 

Mr Baker went on to say “We were particularly concerned about how long people were waiting to be admitted onto medical wards and by the absence of effective processes to prioritise patients for treatment based on their conditions.

 

“There weren’t always the right number of staff with the right skills and training to treat people effectively or keep them safe in the trust’s emergency departments and on medical wards.”

 

The trust was, however, rated good for being caring and the hospitals’ staff were praised for their “compassion and kindness”.

 

Sir David Dalton, interim chief executive of the trust, said “The report is very clear that responsibility lies with the trust’s senior management and ineffective systems and processes.

 

“We are proud that the inspectors repeatedly noted the kindness and compassion shown by our staff when caring for patients.

 

He added that the trust had taken “immediate action to ensure that patients are safe and cared for appropriately” and work had begun to “implement the necessary changes.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events.  Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

 

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

 

Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

 

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