[BREAKING NEWS] Labour MSP says patients are being put at “unnecessary risk” at Monklands Hospital as new report raises more issues. LANARKSHIRE’S Monklands Hospital has had another unannounced inspection, with the results of the HEI report published earlier this month, following the inspection in September. The report, by Healthcare Environment Inspectorate, following an unannounced inspection in September, to the Airdrie-based hospital, after a report in January was highly critical of the hospital’s operators, and the attitudes towards cleanliness and infection control. The report, according to NHS Lanarkshire Medical Director, Iain Wallace, was “very positive”, and showed how the health board were making “good progress”. He said: “This is overall a very positive report that shows that we are making good progress to continually improve standards of cleanliness and infection control at Monklands Hospital. “We are pleased that the inspectors highlighted the significant work we have carried out, including a new procedure to ensure mattresses are clean and ready to use and a new system of mandatory healthcare associated infection training. “We are committed to further improvements and have drawn up a detailed action plan to address the areas identified in the report. This includes extensive communications to make staff aware of the correct procedures for the use of sharps and temporary closure mechanisms for all unattended sharps boxes in clinical areas. We are also putting in place more robust communications to ensure a full risk assessment is documented when isolation doors are left open, and additional audits to provide assurance that the insertion of peripheral vascular catheters (PVCs) is being recorded.” Speaking after the report’s publication, earlier this month, Susan Brimelow, HEI Chief Inspector said the organisation were “assured that NHS Lanarkshire is making good progress against the standards to protect patients, staff and visitors from the risks of acquiring an HAI.” She added: “In particular, a new standard operating procedure has been introduced to check mattresses are clean and ready to use, and a new system of regular mandatory HAI update training has been introduced for all staff. However, we did find that further improvement is required in the recording of the insertion of peripheral vascular catheters in patient healthcare records, compliance with sharps management policy, and, staff awareness of risk assessments when leaving isolation room doors open.” The inspectorate undertook an unannounced visit to Monklands Hospital on September 12th, 2013; visiting the orthopaedic trauma and orthopaedic elective wards, in addition to the departments of medicine for the elderly/rehab, and elderly/stroke, as well as the medical and respiratory and medical and cardiology wards. The latest report notes: “We are assured that NHS Lanarkshire is making good progress against the NHS QIS standards to protect patients, staff and visitors from the risks of acquiring an HAI. In particular: a new standard operating procedure (SOP) has been introduced to check mattresses are clean and ready to use, and a new system of regular mandatory HAI update training has been introduced for all staff. “However, we did find that further improvement is required in the following areas: the recording of the insertion of peripheral vascular catheters (PVCs) in patient healthcare records, compliance with sharps management policy, and staff awareness of risk assessments when leaving isolation room doors open.” One regional MSP has, however, raised her concerns over the points raised by the latest inspectorate report, claiming that “basic errors”, raised by the report, are “putting patients at unnecessary”. The Labour MSP said the issues were a direct result of “severe pressure” felt by staff members, as well as “increasingly tight” budget allocations. Read the full story on Cumbernauld Media, here: news.cumbernauld-media/news/politics/1045-labour-msp-says-patients-are-being-put-at-unnecessary-risk-at-monklands-hospital-as-new-report-raises-more-issues.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 23:14:04 +0000
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