In order to carry out this review we looked at all the information we hold about this trust, and also undertook a visit to Kingston Hospital on 16th and 17th November 2011. A team of nine compliance inspectors, a compliance manager, two pharmacy inspectors and a senior analyst visited fifteen wards, including those caring for elderly people, the children's unit, the maternity suite, the discharge lounge, the pharmacy and the accident and emergency department.
During our visit we observed how people were being cared for, talked with people who use services including adults and children, spoke with clinical and non clinical staff, and looked at various records.
We observed the lunchtime meal and we also looked at the systems in place for the storage, administration and disposal of medication were checked.
We spoke with members of the trust management, about clinical governance procedures in place and the way that the trust assures themselves that services they are providing are meeting the needs of the people who are using them.
As part of the review process our local intelligence team also analysed all the information we currently hold about this provider. Some of these findings are reflected within the main body of the report.
The majority of patients and visitors we spoke with told us they were satisfied with the overall standard of care and treatment they or their relatives received whilst staying on Kingston Hospital wards. Typical comments made by people we met, included: 'Pleasantly surprised how good the hospital is', 'It is not a bad ward'staff are all very nice', 'Its fine here'I am pretty satisfied', and 'They treat you as a person here'. 'The care has been exemplary, I can't fault them.'
Many of them told us that they preferred it to other hospitals that they could have gone to.
All the patients we spoke to felt that their dignity and privacy had been respected.
Staff attitude was reported as being friendly and helpful. Patients have the sense that nurses and other staff are extremely busy and were resigned to expect delays at times.
Staff told us that they were sometimes unable to meet patient demand because either there were not sufficient numbers of staff on duty or because agency staff were not either sufficiently experienced or qualified to do what was expected of them.
Overall the feedback we received from people was mixed in relation to the meals they receive as patients. We found that some wards are meeting people's nutritional needs better than others.
Staff told us that generally there was good liaison between the hospital and community services.
Patients and their families said the hospital was always very clean and we saw that there were good measures in place with regard to infection control, with hand washing facilities and antibacterial gel available.
Most people considered that they were given the opportunity to discuss their treatment options with their doctors and that they were kept informed as their treatment progressed.
Patients that we spoke with said that they felt very safe in the hospital and had not witnessed anything of concern. They felt that the staff listened to them if they were worried about anything.
As part of this review we contacted Kingston HealthWatch, a group who work with people who use the services gathering their views and with providers to influence change and improve services.They gave us the following statement, 'Kingston Hospital has started to include HealthWatch Kingston in all relevant Patient Experience Committees/Working Groups.
If any areas of concern are raised the Hospital does take immediate action. They keep excellent records of surveys, updates etc and produce action plans to address such issues.
The Hospital has come to realise that it is necessary to ensure that HealthWatch Kingston is involved in all aspects of its work and not just asked for comments.
HealthWatch Kingston has very good working relationships with Kingston Hospital Trust which will continue to be developed. They have recently employed a Patient Experience Improvement Manager who will also be working closely with Kingston HealthWatch."