The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has inspected Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trusts after both services performed poorly in the latest NHS Adult Inpatient Survey (2021).

Both provisions were inspected unannounced on December 7 and 8, 2022.

These were focused inspections, which means that they do not impact the overall rating for these trusts, and so their current ratings still stand.

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At its most recent inspection, University Hospital Lewisham (UHL) was rated as 'requires improvement' and Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) was rated as 'good'.

The unannounced focused inspection of the medical division at University Hospital Lewisham (UHL) and Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) were prompted by information received that gave concerns about the safety of the service.

At UHL, inspectors found that some staff were not up to date with their mandatory training and that some staff did not complete risk assessments for all eligible patients.

However, inspectors were impressed to see that staff were caring and compassionate, offering emotional support to patients.

Following a recent safer staffing review of nursing staff, the trust had increased the number of mid-grade nurses to help supervise and support staff safely care for patients.

A safer staffing review of medical staff had also been initiated.

Staff were positive about leadership and found managers and executives to be approachable and visible.

UHL had also created action plans to tackle the concerns raised as part of the NHS Adult Inpatient Survey in 2021.

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At QEH, inspectors found that some staff had not completed their mandatory training or had their yearly appraisal, and that staff did not complete fall risk assessments or pain assessments for all eligible patients.

However, they also found positive changes such as an increase in the number of nursing staff caring for patients.

Staff here were also recognised as caring and compassionate, giving patients and their families the emotional support they need.

Inspectors were pleased to see that QEH had created action plans and a patient experience initiative to address areas of concerns raised by patients in the NHS Adult Inpatient Survey (2021).

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Nicola Wise, CQC deputy director of operations in London, said: “It’s good news to hear that since the safe staffing review Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust have hired enough senior nurses to ensure that while the service levels where not optimal, they were safe.

"The trust was experiencing a busy period, on the day of our inspection, despite the increased pressures inspectors noted that morale was positive, and staff reported feeling well supported by visible senior staff.

“We did find some issues especially how the trust ensured staff were up to date on their mandatory training and how did they manage the falls risks those people who were unsteady on their feet.

“The trust leadership team have received our feedback and have acknowledged there is still further work to be do.

"I’m confident that the leadership team will be able to implement the further improvements required but also sustain those changes already made.”

Ben Travis, chief executive of the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, said: “It’s such a boost to all of us here at Lewisham and Greenwich that the CQC were able to witness some of the improvements and high quality practice we deliver during the unannounced inspections.

“The CQC visited both of our acute hospitals on busy Wednesday mornings at the height of the Strep A outbreak in early December, when patient needs were at their most pressured. The improvements noted in the reports reflect the hard work and great patient care that is delivered by my colleagues here at the Trust.

“Though today’s reports reflect the improvement journey that we are on, there remains much to achieve here, and we are committed to working in an agile and responsive way with the CQC and our other partners to continually improve.”