Hospital rated as ‘good’ overall with praise for emergency care
The RUH has been rated Good by the health watchdog. The NHS trust that runs hospital services in the Bath area was inspected by the Care Quality Commission in June. Inspectors found many services had improved since the hospital was given a rating of “requires improvement” two years ago. Maternity services were rated outstanding, and critical care services, medical care and children and young people’s services were all rated as being good. The 759-bed trust remains outstanding for being caring and is also rated good for being safe, effective and well led and good for its productive use of resources. But urgent and emergency care, which was found wanting in March 2016, was again rated requires improvement. James Scott, the chief executive of the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are delighted that the CQC has recognised the hard work and dedication of all our staff that has driven these improvements that rightly deserve our new rating of good overall. “I am proud of the progress we have made since the last CQC report in 2016. But we are not complacent – and where there are areas in which we need to further improve, we are already working to address them.” The CQC found examples of outstanding practice in urgent and emergency care, and rated the service as good for being effective and caring, but rated it requires improvement overall. Dr Bernie Marden, trust medical director, said: “We acknowledge that the hospital and our urgent and emergency care service are under year-round pressure. “We are continuing to take steps to improve and are working closely with our health and social care partners to enable patients to be seen, treated and discharged in a safe, appropriate and timely manner. “We are pleased that the CQC found examples of outstanding practice, and recognised that the working culture in the Emergency Department was excellent, with staff committed and enthusiastic whilst working under challenging conditions.” The trust provides acute treatment and care for around 500,000 people in Bath, and the surrounding towns and villages in North East Somerset and western Wiltshire.