Northampton hospital gets good rating from CQC as inspectors find 'outstanding' care for children

BMI Three Shires Hospital, located on the grounds of St Andrew's Hospital, was given an overall rating of good by the CQC after a recent unannounced inspection in June and a follow-up visit in July 2018.

Inspectors also awarded Three Shires, which opened in 1982, a good rating across all the criteria they assessed.

Dominic Bath, executive director of the hospital, said: “Working with the CQC has helped us in our continual aim of providing the best healthcare and patient experience.

"We are all aligned to this purpose and to making sure we use all the processes and tools available to us to deliver efficient and safe services.

"Our next goal is to reach outstanding and we are continuously looking at ways to improve our services through working with the community, consultants and staff."

The inspection report noted the hospital's systems for patient safety, its process for learning from incidents, its clean environment and the way in which staff treated patients with care and compassion.

Particular note was made around the paediatrics service, which received an outstanding rating for caring.

The report also noted that the hospital had not experienced any cases of the hospital-acquired infections MRSA, C. difficile or E. coli.

CQC inspectors did conclude Three Shires required improvement in its surgery department, the hospital's main activity.

Not all staff were found to have received relevant resuscitation training at the level appropriate to their role, including in the use of emergency equipment, and not all patients were given all medication as prescribed.