Care Quality Commission maintains RD&E rating as ‘Good’ following inspection
The RD&E has a “strong caring culture” with staff committed to putting patients’ needs first, according to a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection report released today.
The RD&E has maintained its ‘Good’ rating from the CQC – with some services showing improvements - after the CQC carried out a rigorous but routine and announced inspection of many of the Trust’s acute and community services earlier this year.
The CQC independently regulates health and social care services and last rated the RD&E’s services in 2015, giving them an overall Good rating. Now it has once again given the Trust its second highest rating after it inspected several high-profile RD&E services including Emergency and Urgent Care, Outpatients and Community Services in January and February this year. Its inspection report, published today, highlights numerous examples of a “positive culture” at the RD&E and staff caring for patients with “kindness and dignity” as well as clinical excellence.
Some of the report’s highlights include:
Renal Services is given the CQC’s top rating of ‘Outstanding’ after being inspected for the first time
Leadership and management at the Trust are rated ‘Outstanding’, with the CQC highlighting a “positive culture” focused on improvement with “visible and approachable” and well-skilled leaders who were working well other organisations in the Devon Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP)
Many East and Mid Devon community services, including adult services and Honiton Minor Injuries Unit, are rated as Good after being inspected for the time since the RD&E started managing them in 2016
Castle Place GP Practice in Tiverton is rated Good at its first inspection since joining the RD&E in 2018
Outpatients and Mardon Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre have moved up from Requires Improvement ratings in 2015 to Good in 2019. Inspectors also re-rated aspects of patient safety in the Trust’s Medical Services division from Requires Improvement in 2015 to Good in 2019 following a series of improvements made by staff
The Trust’s use of financial resources – inspected for the first time under the CQC’s new inspection regime - is rated as Good
The Trust’s Urgent and Emergency and Critical Care Services retained their Outstanding ratings after first achieving these in 2015.
RD&E Chief Executive Suzanne Tracey paid tribute to the Trust’s 8000-strong workforce, saying: “Our staff work very hard each day in positive, well-run teams and they are incredibly committed to the needs of patients we serve. I’m delighted this has been highlighted in the CQC’s report today and I would like to thank all of them publicly for everything they do and the lengths to which they go to deliver consistently safe, high-quality services, often in challenging circumstances.
“As always we are keen to learn where we can make further improvements to the quality of care we provide so we will now study the CQC’s detailed findings carefully and work with team leaders to build on the strengths identified and act on any issues raised where it is clear we need to.
“Overall, however, this is a fantastic result at a time of ongoing and increasing pressures on the NHS and reflects well on the quality of the services we provide to the people and communities in east and mid Devon.”
Mary Cridge, the CQC’s Head of Hospital Inspection for the South West, said: “Our inspectors found there was a strong caring culture within the trust, with staff committed to ensuring patient needs came first. Staff and leaders worked hard to deliver the best possible care with compassion and respect.
“Inspectors saw many areas of outstanding practice where care was delivered by caring and knowledgeable staff. Several teams led by example with a continuous focus on quality improvement. This was especially evident in renal services, which is rated as Outstanding.”
