CQC calls for improvements to urgent and emergency care at Fairfield General Hospital

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated urgent and emergency care and medical services at Fairfield General Hospital as Requires Improvement, following an inspection that highlighted continued pressures on staffing and patient flow.

The hospital, in Bury, Greater Manchester, is managed by Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and provides a range of acute NHS services, including urgent and emergency care, medical care, surgery and outpatient services.

The inspection took place in January as part of CQC’s urgent and emergency care system pressures review. Inspectors assessed urgent and emergency care alongside medical services, including care for older people.

Following the inspection, both services retained a Good rating for Caring. The rating for Effective improved from Requires Improvement to Good, while Safe, Responsive and Well-led remained Requires Improvement.

Inspectors found that staff were compassionate and committed to delivering high-quality care despite significant operational pressures. Patients and families described staff as kind, supportive and willing to go the extra mile, with inspectors highlighting examples of personalised care, including arrangements that enabled one patient to receive visits from their dog during their hospital stay.

However, CQC concluded that workforce pressures continued to affect the quality and timeliness of care. In medical services, inspectors found staffing levels were not always sufficient to maintain regular patient observations, respond promptly to call bells or provide support during mealtimes. In one instance, a patient’s meal remained untouched after becoming cold because assistance was unavailable.

The regulator also identified concerns around infection prevention, finding that staff did not always follow guidance on hand hygiene and the appropriate use of personal protective equipment.

Within the emergency department, inspectors said the routine use of corridor care continued to affect patients’ privacy, dignity and overall experience. While people treated in corridor areas were clinically assessed and informed about their treatment plans, they were not always given enough information about why they were being cared for in these locations or how long they were likely to remain there.

CQC also highlighted the need to reduce long waiting times in the emergency department and improve staffing levels to support safe care. Although leaders understood the challenges facing the service, inspectors found that actions introduced to address these pressures had not yet resulted in sustained improvements.

The inspection also identified areas of positive practice. Staff were recognised for making reasonable adjustments for autistic people, people living with dementia, people with learning disabilities and those with sensory impairments. Inspectors also noted improvements in average lengths of stay within medical services, with stays reducing from 50 days to 42 days, alongside good awareness among staff of the early signs of sepsis and appropriate escalation procedures.

The emergency department had also introduced improvements to support people experiencing mental health needs, including the provision of a dedicated assessment room.

CQC said it expects to see rapid and sustained improvements and will continue to monitor the hospital’s progress.

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