Watford General Hospital

We carried out an unannounced inspection from 11 – 13 February 2020.

The last CQC inspection of the emergency department at Watford General Hospital was in November 2018 when the service was rated as requires improvement overall. Safe and Responsive were rated as requires improvement. The remaining three key questions of effective, caring, and well led were rated as good. 

During this inspection we visited the resus department, clinical decision unit; a minors area, the senior team rapid assessment and treatment (STARR) area, majors area; plus, a mental health room and chair area. We visited the children’s emergency department, the paediatric resuscitation area and paediatric assessment unit. 

We spoke with 60 members of staff including nurses, doctors, matrons, senior managers, healthcare assistants, pharmacists, allied health professionals, and administrative staff. We also spoke with 18 patients and relatives. We observed interactions between patients and staff, considered the environment and looked at 16 care records. We also reviewed other documentation from stakeholders and nationally published performance data for the Trust. 

The last CQC inspection of the medical care service at Watford General Hospital was in November 2018 when the service was rated as good overall. Safe was rated as requires improvement. The remaining four key questions of effective, caring, responsive and well-led were rated as good. 

At this inspection we visited the acute admissions unit, medical assessment unit, ambulatory care, metabolic day unit, discharge lounge, endoscopy unit and 12 medical wards. 

We spoke with 83 members of staff including nurses, doctors, matrons, senior managers, healthcare assistants, pharmacists, allied health professionals, and administrative staff. We also spoke with 21 patients and relatives. We observed interactions between patients and staff, considered the environment and looked at 19 care records including patients’ medical notes and nursing notes. We also reviewed other documentation from stakeholders and nationally published performance data for the Trust. 

We visited all areas providing surgery services at the hospital, spoke with eight patients or their relatives, observed patient care and treatment and looked at 12 patient care records. We spoke with 50 members of staff including nurses, doctors, surgeons, therapists, healthcare assistants, theatre staff, ward managers, ward clerks, matrons, and senior managers. We also considered the environment and reviewed the Trust’s surgery performance data. Surgery was previously inspected in October and November 2018 and was rated good for safe, effective, caring and well-led, and required improvement for responsive.