Barnsley Hospice put into special measures after 'idadequate' rating from inspectors
Bosses have apologised saying the hospice has let the people of Barnsley down
Barnsley Hospice has been put into special measures after a damning inspection found serious issues which risk patient safety.
The Care Quality Commission say staff didn't have the right training, some incidents like falls weren't investigated, and patients were having to wait too long to access the service when they visited earlier this year.
The hospice has now been rated inadequate and given three warning notices about the safe care and treatment of patients, their capacity to safeguard patients from abuse and improper treatement, and the overall management of the service
Sarah Dronsfield, CQC’s head of hospital inspection, said:
“When we inspected Barnsley Hospice, we were not assured that patients were receiving the safe care and treatment they deserve.
“We were concerned to find that only serious incidents were investigated. Recurring incidents, such as falls, were not prevented, or the risk reduced, because staff did not fully investigate them. We found that processes for sharing important information were unclear and did not ensure that staff learnt from incidents that took place.
“We found that leaders did not ensure that staff kept up to date with all necessary training to keep patients safe.
“Patients had to wait an unacceptable amount of time to access the service. Also, leaders did not explore how the service could meet the wider needs of the local population or understand how to promote inclusion.
“We have issued three warning notices to Barnsley Hospice to help provide focus upon the areas where improvements must be made. We will continue to monitor the service closely and return in the next six months to check on progress.
“The safe care and treatment of people using services is our highest priority and they deserve safe, effective high-quality care. We will always take action where appropriate to protect the health and safety of patients.”
Julie Ferry, chief executive of Barnsley Hospice said in a statment:
“We accept the findings of the CQC report and are extremely concerned and disappointed about the shortcomings identified. We have already started taking robust action to address the issues raised.
“There are some positives in the report, particularly around our caring, which is rated as good. However, we have fallen far short in other areas.
“We’d like to apologise to the people of Barnsley who we feel we have let down.
“It has been a very challenging 18 months for us, as it has for many organisations and individuals, but that is not an excuse. We will be redoubling our efforts to provide the best care and support possible for patients and families in their time of need.”