• CQC publishes its report based on the findings from its first round of hospital inspections
• Report finds safety is still a concern, while highlighting challenges in managing patient flow in A&E departments.
• We say trusts will welcome “clear and honest” report but we must be realistic about how much longer trusts can operate under this degree of pressure.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) today (2 March) published a report on the findings from its first round of acute and specialist hospital trust inspections.

The report highlights variation in quality of hospital services and in the quality of care between services within the same hospital. It says while the majority of services are delivering good quality care and looking after patients well, inspections have also uncovered pockets of poor care even in good hospitals.

It says the safety of hospitals remains a concern with 11% of NHS acute trusts rated inadequate.

The report also notes the challenges that increased demand has created for managing patient flow throughout other hospital departments and wards, often compounded by delayed discharges which are linked to problems in the wider system including lack of capacity within community health services or the social care system.The analysis by the CQC also showed that good leadership is critical in ensuring people receive safe care and driving improvement.    

Responding to the report released by the CQC, chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson said:

“This report sets out in detail the 'unprecedented' challenge NHS trusts face in protecting and improving standards of care in the face of rapidly rising demand and severe financial constraints. Trust leaders will welcome the clear and honest acknowledgement that these pressures are 'creating difficult-to-manage situations that are putting patient care at risk'.  

Trust leaders will welcome the clear and honest acknowledgment that these pressures are “creating difficult-to-manage situations that are putting patient care at risk”

“While the over-arching conclusion that transformational change is possible even in the toughest circumstances is encouraging, we need to be realistic about how long that change will take and how much investment and support it will require. We also need to be realistic about how much longer trusts can continue to operate in an environment with this degree of pressure.

“We welcome the emphasis on effective leadership, in developing organisations that have a culture of learning by listening to staff and patients. And we strongly endorse the praise for frontline staff, commended as 'heroes' for their commitment and values. This was never more in evidence than in the last few weeks as the NHS has been stretched up to, and at times, beyond its limits, to deal with winter pressures.

“This report and the inspection process it summarises shine an important light on variation in standards of care that exist within and between trusts. Against the backdrop of the extreme pressures they are facing, we recognise this is an important challenge that trusts will need to address. There are good examples in the report of how this variation can be reduced, often involving partnership with other parts of the health and care system.

We need to be realistic about how much longer trusts can continue to operate in an environment with this degree of pressure.

 “We have been clear that the gap between what the NHS is being asked to deliver and the funding available is growing. But even in these most difficult of times NHS trusts are leading the way in developing new ways of working, resulting in better care for patients. There can be no complacency where we fall short, but we should recognise, too, the great achievements happening every day across the NHS. We know that some of our outstanding trusts and individual services are not just outstanding in an NHS context, they are some of the best in the world and we should recognise and celebrate that fact”.