This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/health/8381118.stm
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Concern on hospital care standard | Concern on hospital care standard |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Serious concerns have been raised about standards of care at an NHS hospital trust in Essex, the BBC believes. | Serious concerns have been raised about standards of care at an NHS hospital trust in Essex, the BBC believes. |
| It is believed the concerns raised by the independent regulator include a higher than expected death rate among patients and poor standards of hygiene. | It is believed the concerns raised by the independent regulator include a higher than expected death rate among patients and poor standards of hygiene. |
| Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has two hospitals which provide care for around 300,000 people in south west Essex. | Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has two hospitals which provide care for around 300,000 people in south west Essex. |
| The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the trust as "good" overall in October. | The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the trust as "good" overall in October. |
| But a new report from an unannounced inspection team carried out by the CQC found evidence of sub-standard care. | But a new report from an unannounced inspection team carried out by the CQC found evidence of sub-standard care. |
| The inspectors saw: | The inspectors saw: |
| • Floors and curtains stained with blood | • Floors and curtains stained with blood |
| • Blood splattered on trays used to carry equipment | • Blood splattered on trays used to carry equipment |
| • Badly soiled mattresses in the A&E department with stains soaked through to the foam filling | • Badly soiled mattresses in the A&E department with stains soaked through to the foam filling |
| • Items that should only be used once still in use | • Items that should only be used once still in use |
| • Equipment in the resuscitation room that was past the use-by date | • Equipment in the resuscitation room that was past the use-by date |
| • A children's blood pressure cuff heavily stained with blood | • A children's blood pressure cuff heavily stained with blood |
| • Suction machines contaminated with fluid inside and out with what looked like mould growing on the equipment | • Suction machines contaminated with fluid inside and out with what looked like mould growing on the equipment |
| Most of the inpatient care at the trust is provided at Basildon University Hospital, which has 777 beds. | Most of the inpatient care at the trust is provided at Basildon University Hospital, which has 777 beds. |
| Outpatient care is provided at Orsett hospital. | Outpatient care is provided at Orsett hospital. |
| The trust was one of the first in England to be granted foundation trust status in 2004. | The trust was one of the first in England to be granted foundation trust status in 2004. |
| That gives the trust greater freedom to manage its finances. | That gives the trust greater freedom to manage its finances. |
| The independent hospital analysis website Dr Foster has found the Essex trust to have a hospital standardised mortality ratio of 136. | The independent hospital analysis website Dr Foster has found the Essex trust to have a hospital standardised mortality ratio of 136. |
| This means the rate of death among patients at the trust is a third higher than would be expected by looking at national figures, after adjusting for patients' age and the severity of their illness. | |
| This is likely to prompt comparisons with Stafford Hospital where similar concerns were raised about a higher than expected mortality rate. | This is likely to prompt comparisons with Stafford Hospital where similar concerns were raised about a higher than expected mortality rate. |
| After internal investigations failed to find a problem, an independent inspection found serious failings in emergency care. | After internal investigations failed to find a problem, an independent inspection found serious failings in emergency care. |
| Have you been affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments using the form below. | |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |