Ipswich: Good Inspection For Hospital

30 August 2012, 10:30

One of the biggest hospitals in our region has been given a completely clean bill of health after being inspected.

One of the region’s busiest hospitals has been given a completely clean bill of health, by the Care Quality Commission, the national independent regulator of health and social care within England. The news has delighted clinicians and staff at The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust who received an unannounced inspection visit on 26 July 2012.

A team of five independent inspectors visited 13 wards and departments within one day and interviewed dozens of staff and patients. The inspectors found that the hospital was fully compliant against all the standards that they inspected. These included privacy and dignity, nutrition, care and welfare of people who use services, cleanliness and infection control, supporting workers and quality.

The Care Quality Commission team particularly noted areas of very good practice within the hospital including good communication between patients and doctors, care and compassion from all staff towards patients and their families, attention to detail and overall the sustained improvements which the hospital has made in the last 12 months.

Cath Gorman, Associate Director of Nursing and Quality said: “This is fantastic news for our hospital, our patients, staff and our whole community. We have received such amazing support for a big programme of change throughout the hospital where we have put patients first and really done things differently to get it right. There is a great feeling in all our wards and clinical areas today as news of this fully compliant report is shared with all staff. This is a day we have been waiting for and working towards for many months. The biggest credit of course, goes to our front line staff, which not only includes nurses, doctors, therapists, health care assistants, but also includes porters, support staff, estate colleagues, hostesses and ward cleaners – it is a real team effort.

Stella Colwell, Vice Chair of the Ipswich Hospital Users Group, an independent body made up of patient representatives commented:”This fully compliant report is well deserved. There has been a big improvement agenda underway in the past 18 months and the improvements are palpable, you can see the changes, there is a different atmosphere and in some cases a completely changed physical environment. I’m delighted for everyone in the hospital. When we had a poor CQC report, the hospital promised it would get it right. Today, that promise has come true,”.