CQC rates Salisbury District Hospital surgical services as Requires Improvement

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated surgical services at Salisbury District Hospital as Requires Improvement following a routine inspection.

The regulator found concerns relating to both patient safety and leadership, while the service continued to achieve Good ratings for effectiveness, caring and responsiveness.

According to the CQC, inspectors identified breaches of regulations covering safe care and treatment, together with concerns about how the service was being managed. The trust has been instructed to produce an action plan setting out how it will address the issues identified.

Among the findings, inspectors reported longstanding problems with the storage of surgical equipment and sterilised instrument packs. Damaged packaging meant staff could not always be certain that some instruments remained suitable for use, increasing the potential risk of infection.

The inspection also highlighted challenges with patient flow. Some patients were reported to have waited up to four hours in recovery before a ward bed became available, creating delays for others requiring access to theatre recovery areas from the emergency department.

The updated surgery rating has also affected the hospital’s overall assessment. Salisbury District Hospital is now rated Requires Improvement overall, with safety and leadership also rated Requires Improvement.

The CQC said Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust must now demonstrate how it will make immediate improvements in response to the inspection findings.

Stay informed with the stories shaping health and social care.