Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust shows improvement

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found that the services provided by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust at Torbay hospital have improved.

Inspectors visited the emergency department and medical wards in May following an inspection in February 2016 where the urgent and emergency services had been rated ‘inadequate’ and medical care ‘requires improvement’.

Inspectors found that in the urgent and emergency services there had been significant improvements in terms of safety, quality, performance and patient experience.

A new mental health assessment room was found to provide a safe and calming space for patients in mental health crisis, and a new children’s department was found to provide a secure, child-friendly area.

A new system of triage and rapid assessment had also been introduced with improved patient safety, flow and experience, and there were more nurses, improved consultant cover and better patient waiting times than the national average in England.

On the medical wards, inspectors found staff were caring and compassionate, treating their patients with dignity and respect, and as individuals, effectively kept them informed about their care.

Emergency admissions units were found to be used effectively to admit and assess patients in an efficient way. Patients who were admitted out of hours were normally seen by a consultant if needed.

Staff from all disciplines proved to work well together inside and outside the hospital, which was particularly noticeable at times of high demand, and planning for patient discharges was effective, including community-based staff to ensure support was in place for the patients who needed it.

As a result of the inspection both services have been rated ‘good’.

Ted Baker, Chief Inspector of Hospitals, said: “It was clear during our inspection that Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has made significant improvements to its emergency department and medical wards since our inspection in February 2016.

“We found a more supportive, open culture was apparent throughout the inspection with staff feeling more connected to the leadership group and encouraged to suggest improvements or to raise concerns.

“If the trust can ensure that these are lasting improvements, then it is a significant achievement. On behalf of their patients, all the staff should be congratulated for the work they have done.”