Watchdog had ‘no major concerns’ about Royal Free Hospital
Patients positive overall, but ‘should have a bigger say on meals’
Published: 2nd June, 2011
by TOM FOOT
THE Royal Free Hospital has come under fire after a government health watchdog said it had failed to provide a legal standard of care for its elderly patients.
The national media reported last week that elderly patients were being neglected at the hospital in Pond Street, Hampstead, and even “dying of thirst” – with food and water left out of their reach.
The claims provoked an outpouring of rage on the internet with angry messages posted to networking site Twitter.
But the New Journal has found that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) reported “no major concerns” at the Royal Free during its inspection on March 17. Elderly patients “could get food and drink 24 hours a day”.
The report added that, overall, patients “did not have any concerns about their dignity being upheld”, “were positive about their care, treatment and support” and “happy about how they were treated and listened to by staff”.
The inspectors did have what they classed as “moderate” concerns, including:
- Staff were observed discussing patients’ care without asking their opinion.
- Patients were not always asked enough about the food they were getting.
CQC inspectors concluded that changes were needed at the Royal Free so that patients should be more involved in discussions about their care and asked more often about the mealtime service.
The CQC, a state-funded quango, has largely escaped cuts by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government.
The government’s health reforms – currently going through Parliament – will allow GPs to decide whether private firms or NHS hospitals provide rehabilitation beds for elderly NHS patients.
The CQC is inspecting 100 NHS hospitals and will be publishing dozens of reports over the next three months.
A Royal Free spokesman said: “The review has identified moderate concerns in relation to two standards: respecting and involving people who use services and meeting nutritional needs.
“The trust was disappointed by the CQC report, although it was pleased to note that, overall, patients were positive about their care, treatment and support and felt they had a satisfactory choice of food and could access food outside scheduled mealtimes.”
Royal Free bosses have been forced to impose £40million cuts and axe hundreds of jobs, including 109 nursing posts.