Basildon Hospital Receives Formal Warning from CQC

NHS Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals have received a formal warning from the health watchdog, Care Quality Commission.

Unannounced inspections took place between June and July, and inspectors found that the A&E department were not meeting the 15-minute assessment time for children.

The inspections followed the death of an infant child who died in May, having waited for 55-minutes to be assessed in the A&E department. This highlights the problem with regards to the staff to patient ratio which the department is facing.

There were further findings from the investigations which showed that the records of the hospital were inadequate in identifying, assessing and managing the risks of the health, safety and welfare of the patients. This makes it difficult for staff to identify when a patient’s condition is deteriorating.

The hospital is to have a new chief executive who is adamant improvements will be made.

Since the beginning of July over 98% of 1600 children who attended A&E had a full, detailed nursing assessment within 15-minutes. The other 2% had a rapid assessment within 10-minutes.

CQC inspectors will return in the future to monitor the improvements that have been made to the quality of service.