Enforcement Notice Lifted at Royal Stoke Hospital’s A&E After Treatment Delay Concerns
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has lifted an enforcement notice that was in place at the Royal Stoke University Hospital’s A&E department due to concerns about treatment delays. The notice, known as a ‘section 31 condition,’ was imposed in 2019 when A&E patients were experiencing long waits to be triaged and there were also concerns about patients detained under the Mental Health Act.
Under the condition, the hospital had to provide a weekly report to the CQC outlining the actions taken to address these issues and the improvements made for patients. Chief executive Tracy Bullock confirmed that significant reviews had been conducted to improve triage processes and the workforce in the A&E department. The hospital’s performance has now been recognized as one of the top five in the country, resulting in the lifting of the enforcement notice.
Despite this positive development, the Royal Stoke Hospital continues to struggle in meeting a separate A&E target. The national target is for 76 percent of patients to be admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours of arrival at A&E. However, in recent months, the hospital’s performance has fallen short, with figures ranging from 68.8 percent in July to 70.1 percent in April.
Deputy chief operating officer Oliver White acknowledged the need for improvement and set an ambitious goal of achieving 80 percent by March for non-admitted patients. The hospital is currently engaged in discussions about the required level of work to achieve this target and improve overall performance.
Non-executive director Leigh Griffin highlighted the June data, which showed that only one healthcare system in Kent and Medway had managed to achieve 80 percent performance. While acknowledging the discomfort caused by longer waiting times for patients, Griffin emphasized the importance of working towards better outcomes.
The lifting of the enforcement notice at the Royal Stoke Hospital’s A&E is an encouraging development that reflects the progress made in addressing treatment delay concerns. However, the hospital still faces challenges in meeting the national A&E target. With an aspiration to achieve an 80 percent performance rate, the hospital acknowledges the scale of improvements required. By continuing to focus on enhancing their triage processes and overall performance, the Royal Stoke Hospital aims to provide better care and outcomes for their patients.
Source: [StokeonTrentLive]
