Norfolk: Hospital Passes Inspection

31 May 2012, 15:00

James Paget University Hospital has been found to be compliant in Medicines Management after an unannounced inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on May 2nd.

The CQC inspectors found better record keeping, improved availability of medicines, positive changes to prescription charts and that medicines are kept safe and secure. 

The report also includes comments from patients, who were complimentary about their treatment, how their medicines were managed and had no complaints. They said that they were provided information about medicines in a way that was useful to them and were provided pain relief as and when they needed it.

Chief Executive, David Hill said: “We have previously acknowledged that the pace of improvement at the Trust had not been fast enough. This has changed and achieving full compliance in this area is recognition of the hard work by our staff to make the required improvements and to meet the CQC standards.”

Senior nurses had their comments included in the report too, highlighting the new systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of medicines management and that more leadership has led to nursing staff feeling better supported. Nurses also praised the improvements to pharmacy services on the wards which has helped to improve record keeping and made it easier for them to get help and advice.

Interim Chairman, Peter Franzen, said: “This report is a significant step forward and an indication that the organisation is well on the road to recovery. We will continue this work to make further improvements so that we achieve compliance in all areas.”

The James Paget will have two more inspections on ‘Care and Welfare’ and ‘Records’.

Great Yarmouth MP, Brandon Lewis said, “The staff with the new senior management at JPUH have been working hard to move things forward for the benefit of patients and the hospital. I have been impressed with the decisive actions and determination recently and this outcome is confirmation that although there is still work to do things are now clearly moving in the right direction. A positive move forward for the hospital and its staff.”