East Kent Hospitals (EKH) NHS FT have welcomed the CQC reports published today, showing improvements to the performance of its emergency departments.
Inspectors visited the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, and the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford in March.
The inspection assessed whether the urgent and emergency care services were experiencing pressure due to winter demands or as a result of Covid-19.
The examination found that the departments controlled infection risk well, with staff using equipment and control measures to protect patients, themselves and others from infection. Equipment and the premises were also visibly clean.
Staff were focused on the needs of patients receiving care and the departments had an open culture where patients, their families and staff could raise concerns without fear.
Chief Executive at EKH, Susan Acott said: “Staff have worked hard to give patients the best possible urgent and emergency care during the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic, and I am pleased their hard work has been recognised in the CQC’s reports.
“We are taking action on the areas for further improvement and have completed renovations of the mental health room at William Harvey Hospital.”
Areas identified by the CQC for improvement included waiting times, consultant cover at Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital, and suitable facilities in place to care for patients with mental health problems and processes for monitoring the health of waiting patients at William Harvey Hospital.
As a result of the inspection, William Harvey Hospital’s rating for safe improved from inadequate to requires improvement. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital’s rating also remains at requires improvement.
Read the CQC's report on William Harvey Hospital and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital.
