Chesterfield hospital hits back after being branded one of the worst in the country

Patients at Alexandra Private Hospital are ‘at risk of harm’, according to the latest report, but a hospital spokesperson refuted those suggestions and said that ‘nothing’ was more important than patient safety.

In the report, inspectors found that the service remained inadequate and said that staff did not have adequate training on how to recognise abuse; nor was equipment and the premises visibly clean; and that staff used out-of-date products.

They further found that the service could not show that patients knew who to contact to discuss post-surgery complications, and that staff did not keep detailed records of patients’ care and treatment.

In a statement to the Derbyshire Times a spokesperson for the hospital said they were ‘engaging energetically’ with the CQC but disagreed with sections of the report.

They said: “We have notified the CQC of all the areas where we can already evidence compliance with all of their requirements, and the implementation of deep and thorough improvements to enhance the delivery of safe, effective, and caring service to patients.

“We are happy to reassure patients that the hospital, which has been a proud part of the community for decades, is committed to providing the highest levels of care now and into the future, and that we shall continue to strive to achieve patient satisfaction in all that we do.”

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An extract from the report reads: “Leaders did not have the necessary skills and abilities to run the service in relation to governance and managing performance and risk. They did not understand or effectively manage all the priorities and issues the service faced. They were not always visible and approachable in the service for patients and staff.”

It follows an unannounced inspection in February to follow up on concerns discovered during a previous inspection in December.

The hospital told the DT that the inspection occurred at a time when pre-planned maintenance was taking place.

The spokesperson added: “During (the inspection) dust, dirt, and other material attendant to maintenance works was expected and unavoidably present. At this time, there was no surgical activity being undertaken, and no surgery scheduled for almost a month. Patient safety and wellbeing remained paramount at all times, hence no surgical activity whatsoever being conducted during the maintenance period. As no patients were present, risk to patients was prevented entirely.

As a result of the report, the CQC has imposed an “urgent condition” on the service not to perform any regulated activities from the premises without prior written consent from the Care Quality Commission. In total the CQC found there were eight individual breaches of health and safety regulations during their inspection.

As reported last month, the Daily Mail revealed the hospital is one of only 23 across the entire country to be slapped with an ‘inadequate rating’.

On their website, Alexandra Private Hospital says they ‘promise’; highly qualified, accomplished, and respected surgeons, nurses, and other medical professionals; clinical excellence, and; (the) highest standards of medical ethics. There is no reference to their CQC rating: something they have been ordered to change.