Arrowe Park Hospital

The hospital was last inspected in March 2018 and a focused inspection of accident and emergency services was last undertaken in March 2019. 

We carried out this inspection of emergency services on 8,9,10 and 17 October 2019. We reviewed evidence from the Trust before the inspection and during the inspection we looked at policies and procedures, we visited the emergency department, the emergency review department, the reverse cohort area and the paediatric emergency department. We attended several bed meetings, a medical handover meeting and a safety huddle. We spoke with five consultants, five middle grade doctors and three staff grade doctors, two acute physicians, a respiratory consultant and a community geriatrician. We met with the assistant director for the ED, the matron and the ED manager, a shift leader the practice development nurse, a streaming nurse, two emergency nurse practitioners, two advanced nurse practitioners, three band six nurses, three band five nurses, four health care assistants and two receptionists, a paramedic, a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist. We also spoke with representatives from the women’s and children’s directorate in relation to paediatric services. 

We observed care of patients in the department and we spoke with five patients and four carers. We reviewed 18 sets of paper records, 11 electronic records and ten mental health records including the case tracking of five patients. 

Our Medical Care inspection was unannounced. We inspected medical care services, including care of the elderly, between 8 and 10 October 2019. 

During the inspection we visited all medical care wards. We also visited ward one, surgical day case unit, the acute medical assessment unit and the discharge lounge. 

We spoke with 78 members of staff including senior managers, members of the infection prevention and control team, ward sisters as well as registered nurses and doctors, therapy staff and health care assistants. We also spoke to 16 patients and relatives. 

We observed care and treatment and looked at 15 patient care records and 82 electronic medicine administration records as well as service performance data. 

We inspected the division of surgery between 15 and 17 October 2019. Our inspection was unannounced. As part of the inspection we reviewed information provided by the Trust about staffing, training and monitoring of performance. 

We visited several theatres, the recovery areas and anaesthetic room. We also observed a morning ward handover, safety huddles, multidisciplinary team meetings, and a workforce meeting. 

The inspection team spoke with 12 patients and carers who were using the service, and 69 members of staff including managers, consultants, nurses, healthcare assistants and administrative staff. We reviewed 7 patient records and six WHO checklists. We observed staff interactions with patients, team meetings and huddles. 

The service was last inspected in March 2018, with the report published in July 2018. Surgery was previously rated as requires improvement.