Hospital warned over 'significant' safety gaps

An acute trust has been served a warning notice due to “significant concerns” over patient safety in one of its emergency departments.

The Care Quality Commission said there was a lack of oversight of patients in the ED at Basildon Hospital, one of three main sites run by Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust (MSEFT), and that the absence of a robust booking system was putting them at risk of harm.

MSEFT has published the warning notice in the papers ahead of its board meeting this week. The notice followed an unannounced inspection in December and a follow-up visit last month.

The CQC said: “We have taken this urgent action as we believe a person will or may be exposed to the risk of harm if we do not do so.”

Ms Roberts said there was a lack of clinical oversight in the waiting room during the follow-up visit on 8 January. She said the only clinical staff in the large and busy waiting area were navigation nurses who were going in and out of rooms to assess patients.

MSEFT had said a nurse and health care assistant would be added to the waiting room team after the first visit, but inspectors did not see any during the follow-up, according to the letter. Ms Roberts said: “This puts patients at risk of unmonitored deterioration and harm.”

Read full story (paywalled)

Source: HSJ, 12 February 2025