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Hospital calls in helpers to serve patients’ meals
Inspectors condemn ward standards as worst they have ever seen
MANAGERS at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead plan to enlist volunteers to help feed elderly patients following complaints from overstretched nurses.
Just months after the cash-strapped hospital announced it was axing 480 jobs amid assurances that care would not suffer, nursing director David Lee has admitted negotiations are in place to secure extra help.
The news comes after members of the Royal Free Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Forum visited Hopgood, Marsden and Zunz wards for elderly patients in September – just a month after a New Journal investigation revealed how nurses struggled to find time to help feed patients at the three wards.
Talks are already in progress with the hospital’s voluntary services director to bring more unpaid helpers onto the wards at meal times to assist patients with their food.
Questions have also been raised over the standards of cleanliness and level of care following the PPI Forum inspection.
The wards have since been given priority for a deep clean after forum chairman Arthur Brill and member Vivienne McKennell criticised standards as the “worst level encountered on any of our visits”.
In a report, forum members said they were “disappointed” with what they saw on the wards, listing how bowls of “unidentified substances” were left in one bathroom, gloves were discarded on the floor, and suggesting “bathroom utensils, hoist and cleaning equipment need much better hygiene”.
The report found some staff even had to buy toiletries for patients out of their own pockets.
The PPI inspectors observed that “using communal soap for washing patients is definitely not acceptable”.
Although a red tray system is in use so nurses know which patients need help at meal times, staff complained that, if any of them were called away at lunchtime, it was difficult to help patients.
Now crucial talks have been scheduled between the wards’ matron, Simon Pullin, and the catering and domestic services managers and the facilities director to address the forum’s complaints.
Mr Pullin has requested that a date for a deep clean of the wards be made a priority.
Deep cleaning, which involves intense steam cleaning, is planned for all wards at the hospital under a two-year programme.
PPI inspectors observed occasions where agitated patients needed help, but staff, unaware of their plight, had to be alerted by forum members.
Inspectors recommended encouraging nurses to circulate and to be more aware of patients’ needs.
The report concluded: “We felt very disappointed at what we found during our inspection. This was the worst level encountered on any of our visits and the points highlighted could easily be remedied.
“We felt there needs to be tighter supervision of cleaning, particularly bathrooms, shower rooms and toilets.”
Responding to the complaints, nursing director David Lee said: “Matron had already made inquiries about volunteers helping at meal times and will raise this again with the voluntary services manager.”
He added that shelving for hoists was to be fitted and the use of disposable versions encouraged. As well as deep-clean dates being brought forward for the wards, with Marsden set to be overhauled in the next couple of weeks, weekend cleaning trials are being considered.
He added: “All patients are advised they will have to provide their own toiletries. We are not funded to provide these for patients in normal circumstances.
“Matron will look into how the ward can provide toothpaste, soap and shaving cream for patients unable to provide their own.
“The use of ‘communal’ soap is not acceptable and staff will be reminded about this.” |
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