Sturdee Community Hospital

Leaders placed emphasis upon keeping patients safe from harm and

encouraged staff to be open with reporting concerns. Senior staff appropriately

investigated incidents and complaints to identify good practice and lessons

learnt. Staff had a good understanding of safeguarding and had received

appropriate training. There was a clear process in place with reporting

safeguarding concerns. Staff communicated with external agencies as and

when appropriate. The hospital had enough qualified, skilled and experienced

staff to care for the patients. Although there were some vacancies, managers

ensured any gaps were covered by bank or agency staff. The hospital had

systems and processes in place for appropriate and safe handling of

medicines, which staff generally followed. Where we found gaps in records

during the assessment, these had already been identified through medicines

audits. Staff had implemented changes to encourage improvement in practice.

Staff completed individual patient risk assessments and involved them were

possible. Staff updated and reviewed these regularly. Staff had a good

understanding of patients’ individual risks and interventions to mitigate and

reduce these risks. However, there were a number of patients prescribed

enhanced observations and it was evident that this did not always lead to

mitigation of risk behaviours. Care records examined did not consistently

demonstrate comprehensive reviews had taken place, with the consideration of

less restrictive interventions.