York Hospital, previously deemed to be ‘indequate’, is improving, says a health watchdog.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found improvements in urgent and emergency care and medical care at the hospital.
It is no longer breaking regulations over person-centred care and safeguarding. But there were still “breaches relating to safe care and treatment, premises and equipment in both services”.
CQC has told the trust to submit a plan showing what action it is taking in response to these concerns.
York Hospital, run by York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was rated ‘inadequate’ in a report published in 2023.
The watchdog carried out its latest inspection on 14 and 15 January. The overall rating is now ‘requires improvement’.
Urgent and emergency care has improved from inadequate to requires improvement, as have the ratings for being safe and responsive.
Well-led has improved from inadequate to good. Effective and caring have improved from requires improvement to good.
12-hour wait for a bed
Alan Stephenson, the CQC’s deputy director of operations for the north, said “it was positive” that some improvements had been made, but more work was required.
“People were assessed quickly when they arrived in urgent and emergency care, however, they were waiting too long for a bed when they needed to be admitted, more than 12 hours in some cases,” he said.
“There was also a lack of space to accommodate the number of people attending, and during our visit we saw people sitting on the waiting room floor as no seats were available. However, plans were in place to improve this.
“In medical care services, people were also waiting a long time for a bed, and there were occasions when people experienced multiple ward moves before they were placed on the correct ward, which they found confusing.”
Cleaning chemicals had been left out where people could easily access them, and some sharp instruments weren’t locked away “which could put people at risk of harm”.
“However, most people and their families were positive about the care they received from staff in both services, and felt they were treated with compassion and kindness. Also, in medical care, we saw staff supporting families whose relatives were receiving end of life care.”
Full report
You can read the full report on the Care Quality Commission website
Chief executive of York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Simon Morritt said: “I want to thank our staff for everything they do and reassure our communities that we remain fully committed to delivering safe, high-quality care, now and into the future.
“These positive changes have been achieved during a time of exceptional pressure on our services, and that is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our staff.
“We’re particularly pleased the CQC noted that most patients and their families felt treated with compassion and kindness, a reflection of the values we work hard to uphold every day.
“Where urgent issues were identified, they were acted on immediately, and we’ve continued to make positive progress since the inspection. Patients should feel confident in the care they receive and our commitment to doing better.
“We know there is more to do. Our focus now is on embedding the improvements we’ve made, strengthening leadership at every level, and creating a culture where both patients and colleagues feel safe, supported, and valued.”