Princess Royal University Hospital’s emergency department has been upgraded from ‘inadequate’ to ‘requires improvement’ by the care watchdog.
On Wednesday (August 11) the Care Quality Commission announced its inspectors had seen improvements at the department in Bromley, run by King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
A fresh inspection took place in June after concerns were raised in November 2019.
But despite progress, the hospital and the wider trust – which includes its Denmark Hill site – remain rated as ‘requires improvement’ overall.
Failings highlighted two years ago at the Princess Royal department included ‘issues with governance and leadership’ which was having a knock-on effect on staff morale.
Although this is an area with clear improvements and positive feedback from staff, the CQC still has concerns over a lack of social distancing, long waiting times, patchy security, and worries that children were not always being monitored properly.
The emergency department treats around 380 patients every day.
Nicola Wise, CQC’s head of hospital inspection, said “The waiting area is shared with the Urgent Care Centre (UCC), which is operated by a different organisation.
“When the department was busy, this made it difficult to manage the number of people in the waiting area.
“Our inspectors saw people standing and sitting on the floor without social distancing.
“In the evenings, there was no security guard at the main entrance, so patients were entering with friends or family when they shouldn’t have been.
“Although there were escalation processes in place to deal with this situation, they were not always consistently applied.
“This also had an impact on ambulance handovers, with some patients being seen by staff in ambulances, as there were not enough cubicles available to assess patients.
“We have told the trust that it must ensure the waiting area is managed effectively to allow for social distancing.
“We were shown plans for a new streaming system and waiting room for the UCC which would accommodate up to 40 extra people and provide more space for people attending the emergency department. However, we are yet to see this plan implemented.
“The trust must also ensure that children are monitored regularly to check for any signs of deterioration, and that there is oversight that these checks are being completed correctly.
“We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that these improvements have been made.”
Professor Clive Kay, chief executive of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “The CQC’s inspection report confirms that the improvements staff at Princess Royal University Hospital have put in place are delivering benefits for patients, and the communities we serve. This is a positive step forward.
“I am pleased for the emergency department staff, and the hospital’s leadership team, who have worked hard to embed positive changes within the department, at the same time as managing the challenges associated with COVID-19.”
“However, we mustn’t be complacent, and it is clear that further improvements are needed – and I am confident everyone is committed to making the emergency department at PRUH even better for patients, and staff.”
The trust says a redesigned waiting area, allowing for better social distancing, will open in September.