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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Report slams Furness General Hospital dementia unit | Report slams Furness General Hospital dementia unit |
| (5 months later) | |
| Elderly dementia patients were left for hours without food at a hospital in Cumbria and some therapeutic facilities rarely used, inspectors found. | Elderly dementia patients were left for hours without food at a hospital in Cumbria and some therapeutic facilities rarely used, inspectors found. |
| The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said "chronic staff shortages" at the Ramsey Unit in the grounds of Furness General Hospital impacted on patient safety. | |
| New admissions to the unit were halted for a time after the unannounced inspection on 10 October. | New admissions to the unit were halted for a time after the unannounced inspection on 10 October. |
| Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said patients had been let down. | Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said patients had been let down. |
| The trust has been issued with two formal warnings ahead of a further unannounced inspection. | The trust has been issued with two formal warnings ahead of a further unannounced inspection. |
| 'Real concern' | 'Real concern' |
| The CQC inspection found: | The CQC inspection found: |
| The CQC had initially said that patients were unnecessarily sedated, but this was later withdrawn. | The CQC had initially said that patients were unnecessarily sedated, but this was later withdrawn. |
| Malcolm Bower-Brown, CQC northern regional director, said: "The issues we identified at the Ramsey Unit are a real concern and the trust must take further action to ensure national standards are met. | Malcolm Bower-Brown, CQC northern regional director, said: "The issues we identified at the Ramsey Unit are a real concern and the trust must take further action to ensure national standards are met. |
| "We continue to monitor the trust extremely carefully to ensure that the required improvements are implemented. | "We continue to monitor the trust extremely carefully to ensure that the required improvements are implemented. |
| "We will not hesitate to take further regulatory action to ensure patients receive the quality of care and support they are entitled to expect." | "We will not hesitate to take further regulatory action to ensure patients receive the quality of care and support they are entitled to expect." |
| 'Very upsetting' | 'Very upsetting' |
| Trust chief executive Claire Molloy said: "We were all very shocked and concerned for our patients and staff when we heard the outcome of the CQC inspection. | Trust chief executive Claire Molloy said: "We were all very shocked and concerned for our patients and staff when we heard the outcome of the CQC inspection. |
| "To hear that our patients are not being properly supported is very upsetting and something I never want to hear again. | "To hear that our patients are not being properly supported is very upsetting and something I never want to hear again. |
| "Our service was just not good enough. We've let down our staff and therefore we have let down our patients and for that we are sincerely sorry. | "Our service was just not good enough. We've let down our staff and therefore we have let down our patients and for that we are sincerely sorry. |
| "We have already made significant improvements to ensure that the care on Ramsey Unit is appropriate and meeting the needs of the current patients. | "We have already made significant improvements to ensure that the care on Ramsey Unit is appropriate and meeting the needs of the current patients. |
| "Staffing levels have been increased by 25% and senior medical and nursing support has been brought in. | "Staffing levels have been increased by 25% and senior medical and nursing support has been brought in. |
| "We have now reopened the unit to admissions and this has been acknowledged by the CQC." | "We have now reopened the unit to admissions and this has been acknowledged by the CQC." |
| David Blacklock, chief executive of Healthwatch Cumbria, added: "We were made aware of the major concerns about the Ramsey Unit immediately after the CQC visit. | David Blacklock, chief executive of Healthwatch Cumbria, added: "We were made aware of the major concerns about the Ramsey Unit immediately after the CQC visit. |
| "We subsequently heard family members talk about their harrowing experiences and staff about their frustrations about not being listened to. | "We subsequently heard family members talk about their harrowing experiences and staff about their frustrations about not being listened to. |
| "It's clear to us that early warning signs were missed, staff were not listened to and checking processes failed." | "It's clear to us that early warning signs were missed, staff were not listened to and checking processes failed." |