The Care Quality Commission has published new inspection reports into services at two hospitals operated by King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, with several departments continuing to be rated as “requires improvement”.
“Although ratings had not deteriorated, we continued to find areas of concerns. This included maternity services, medical care and services for children and young people,” said Carolyn Jenkinson, CQC Deputy Director of Hospitals in London.
Inspections carried out in April and May last year assessed services at King's College Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital as part of the regulator’s ongoing monitoring of the Trust.
At King’s College Hospital, maternity services and medical care, including care for older people, remain rated as requires improvement.
Services for children and young people have also been downgraded from “good” to “requires improvement”, leaving the hospital’s overall rating unchanged at "requires improvement.”
At Princess Royal University Hospital, maternity services were again rated as requiring improvement following the inspection.
Report highlights ongoing safety issues
According to the CQC, inspectors found that some long-standing safety issues in maternity services at King’s College Hospital had not been fully addressed.
In some cases, staff did not consistently manage clinical risks promptly, and there were not always enough staff with the right skills and experience to deliver safe care.
Inspectors also reported that leaders were not always visible or supportive and that some staff had experienced bullying or harassment.
In addition, risks were not always identified or addressed quickly enough, which could affect patient safety.
Concerns were also raised about staffing levels in medical care and children’s services at King’s College Hospital, with shortages affecting both service delivery and staff wellbeing.
At Princess Royal University Hospital, inspectors found staff were not always consulted on changes to maternity services and that leaders did not act quickly enough to manage risks.
Why were ratings not impacted by report findings?
Despite these issues, the reports highlighted examples of positive practice across the Trust.
Patients and families told inspectors that staff were kind, respectful and supportive, and women using maternity services described their care as compassionate and involving them in decisions about their treatment.
Jenkinson said the regulator would continue to monitor the Trust closely while improvements are made to ensure people receive safe care.
The CQC has also shared its findings with the Trust so leaders can address the areas requiring improvement.