An unannounced visit to the Victoria Hospital, NHS Fife, has raised concerns about nutritional care and hydration across the wards inspected.
The findings come after inspectors visited the hospital to assess what progress NHS Fife had made towards resolving four areas of improvement identified at a previous inspection.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland published its report today outlining the results of the inspection, which took place on 5 June. The unannounced visit forms part of a programme of inspections designed to provide assurance that older people are being treated with compassion, dignity and respect while they are in an acute hospital.
The inspections focus on NHSScotland’s three national quality ambitions, which ensure that care provided to patients is person-centred, safe and effective.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland also looks at the following areas during each inspection:
• dementia and cognitive impairment;
• falls prevention and management;
• nutritional care and hydration; and
• preventing and managing pressure ulcers.
During the unannounced, follow-up visit, inspectors found evidence that NHS Fife had been working to address Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s recommendations.
However, while one recommendation had been met, inspectors reported that three remain unresolved. The inspection team also identified a new area for improvement – nutritional care and hydration across the inspected wards.
“We asked NHS Fife to carry out an immediate review of all patients in one ward to provide assurance that the correct care was in place,” explains Jacqui Macrae, head of quality care at Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
“NHS Fife carried out this review and provided us with an action plan of how these issues will be addressed. We will follow up this action plan at a future date. NHS Fife must address these areas for improvement as a matter of priority. We will follow up these concerns at future inspections to ensure that improvements are made.”
To read the full inspection report: visit: www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/OPAH.aspx
