CQC publishes Epsom & St Helier 'Well-Led' inspection findings
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated leadership at Epsom and St Helier as “Requires Improvement”, recognising strengths in patient care, praise for staff and partnership working but identifying areas where we must do better.
The findings, published today (Thursday 22 October), follow a routine inspection in May.
Inspectors heard that patients felt listened to, respected and well cared for, often despite the challenges of our ageing hospital buildings. They also recognised capable leaders, clear strategies, improvements in complaints handling and strong collaboration with health and care partners.
However, the CQC found that risks were not always acted on quickly enough, and that colleagues had experienced discrimination, bullying and harassment in some services. While concerns raised by staff had led to improvements, more must be done to ensure people feel safe speaking up and that action is taken consistently across the Trust.
Chinyama Okunuga, Site Chief Executive Officer, said: “The CQC recognised what we see every day – colleagues working incredibly hard to provide compassionate care, often in challenging circumstances.
“But the report also makes clear where we need to improve. We accept these findings and are taking action to strengthen how we identify and respond to risks, tackle inequalities and make sure every colleague feels supported.
“Our focus is on turning these improvements into a better experience for every patient and colleague.”
Action is already underway including:
- Strengthening governance, risk escalation and accountability so concerns are identified and acted on more quickly.
- Appointing new executive and site leaders, improving diversity in senior leadership, launching a Group Inclusion Board and strengthening inclusive recruitment and career development.
- Securing £57 million to redevelop St Helier's emergency department, including a new Urgent Treatment Centre and enhanced Same Day Emergency Care, to improve patient privacy, dignity and flow.
- Introducing a health equity dashboard to better understand and address differences in patient experiences and outcomes.
- Investing in digital technology, including a new electronic patient record system, while recognising that further training and development are needed.
The CQC also recognised the Trust’s commitment to environmental sustainability and continuous improvement, while highlighting the need to share learning more consistently across services and demonstrate measurable progress on staff experience.
The report will be published on CQC’s website in the coming days.
