SaTH has taken immediate action to address concerns raised by CQC

23 October 2018

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has taken immediate action to address all the areas raised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure it offers a safe and kind environment for the people of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales.

Dr Edwin Borman, Medical Director at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “We take the safety of our patients and their care very seriously. We are addressing all the areas raised by the CQC.”

Deirdre Fowler, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Quality at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “We meet national guidelines in our maternity unit and conduct twice daily consultant led ward rounds. We have now provided the CQC with the records that show this.

“Midwives in Shropshire’s Midwifery Led Units (MLU) have in the past used CTG to monitor fetal movements and where there has been any cause for concern referred a mother to an obstetrician in the maternity unit in Princess Royal Hospital (PRH).

“In regards to the reviewing of CTG fetal monitoring by midwives in the MLUs, the Trust has now changed its approach and all women are now monitored in PRH Obstetric Unit. It is very important that mothers who are concerned about their baby’s movements contact the Trust or their midwife to be reviewed.”

In regard of the Emergency Department, Dr Edwin Borman said: “We have implemented an action plan that focuses on the areas highlighted by the CQC, including the effective monitoring of patients that may be at risk of sepsis. We have also introduced daily safety huddles and senior clinically-led two hourly sweeps of the department; as well as spot checks overnight and out of hours.

“The practice of ‘boarding’ patients in our acute wards – in effect finding space on wards to accommodate patients during periods of high demand – is not in place, and we are working really hard to ensure that this does not re-occur.

“We absolutely strive to do our best for each and every one of our patients, but we know that we need to do even better. Our focus has always been on providing outstanding care, and that is true now more than ever.”