CQC ratings show strong results for health and care services across south east London
New inspection results from the Care Quality Commission show strong ratings for health and care services across south east London.
At St Thomas’ Hospital, urgent and emergency care has kept its overall ‘outstanding’ rating. At Guy’s Hospital, urgent care has kept its overall ‘good’ rating. Inspectors also upgraded both services for caring, from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’.
At Queen Elizabeth Hospital (part of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust), the overall hospital rating went from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘good’. Inspectors rated urgent and emergency services as ‘good’ overall. Diagnostic and screening services, medical care and outpatients were also rated ‘good’.
In the Royal Borough of Greenwich, adult social care services have also been rated ‘good’. The council said the rating recognises “strong overall performance and work to support residents to live independently and safely”.
Care shaped around people’s needs
Across the hospital reports, inspectors highlighted kind care, good teamwork and joined-up working. At Guy’s Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital, they found that most people experienced short waits, compassionate care and positive outcomes. They also said staff assessed people quickly and helped them get to the right service for their needs.
At Queen Elizabeth Hospital, inspectors found that staff treated people with kindness, compassion and empathy. They also highlighted partnership working with the local community trust, ambulance trust, GPs and the integrated care board to improve care across the system.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich said the adult social care rating reflects joint work with health, community and voluntary sector partners. It highlighted support to help people stay in their own homes for longer, strong hospital discharge arrangements and reablement services, and joint work with NHS partners through its digital health and care technology service.
The findings also point to continued improvement in local services. At Queen Elizabeth Hospital, inspectors highlighted a new same day emergency care unit, more than 100 new beds, and investment in MRI and CT scanning. The council in Greenwich also said it is continuing work to improve access, inclusion and support in some areas, including mental health support and accessible information.
What local leaders said
Dr Katherine Henderson, Clinical Director of Adult’s Urgent and Emergency Care at Guy’s Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital, said:
“We are extremely proud of this latest report and ratings from the CQC, and I would like to thank the inspectors for their encouraging comments and thoughtful insights.
“The ratings we have achieved are a testament to the hard work and dedication of all our staff, both clinical and non-clinical, working in these services and supporting patients.
“I am particularly pleased that our rating for being caring has been upgraded from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’ at both sites. We know we do not always get everything right, but this is an example of the importance we place on continuous improvement, and ensuring our patients remain at the very centre of everything we do.”
Ben Travis, Chief Executive of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (LGT), said:
“This is such a proud day for all of us at LGT. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is an extremely busy hospital caring for a wide range of patients across Greenwich and Bexley, many with complex health needs. Over the last few years, we have focused on improving the Queen Elizabeth Hospital as a place to deliver and receive care and I am delighted that this has been recognised by the CQC.”