We are feeling good!

Leeds Community Healthcare rated ‘Good’ in latest CQC assessment

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published the results of its follow-up inspection of Leeds Community Healthcare (LCH). It confirms that significant improvements have been made and the overall rating for the Trust is now ‘Good’.

Thea Stein, Chief Executive of Leeds Community Healthcare, said today:

“We’re delighted that the CQC has rated our services as overall ‘Good’ as a result of its follow-up inspection.  The report finds we have successfully addressed many issues which required improvement in 2014.”

The report, based on a visit during January - February 2017, found the Trust had successfully addressed the issues which required improvement since the CQC undertook its comprehensive review in November 2014.

The findings of the follow-up inspection include:

• Good staff engagement particularly in adult and inpatient services
• Good patient feedback, confirmed through surveys.
• Patients treated with dignity and compassion, and involved in the development of their care
• Services promoting independence and supporting patients to move to self-care.
• A good incident reporting culture. 

Outstanding practice

 The report mentions several areas of outstanding practice, particularly within community health services for adults:

• Individual preferences and needs were always reflected.
• Excellent care delivered by highly motivated staff.
• Patients said that staff went the extra mile and the care they received exceeded their expectations.

Areas of individual good practice included:

• The development of an award-winning choir, to support patients with their speech and language skills and provide social opportunities.
• Senior therapists seeing musculoskeletal (MSK) and rehabilitation patients at their initial assessment and trialling alternative models of care to support primary care.
• A ‘patient flow’ project aimed at reducing a patient’s length of stay on an inpatient unit.

Thea added: “Our rating is testament to the hard work and determination of colleagues across corporate and clinical disciplines to demonstrate high quality care on a daily basis. We are pleased too, that that we were able to evidence this during a time of unprecedented demand across services.

“We’re particularly proud that adult services were rated overall ‘Outstanding’ for caring. This is a well-earned accolade.

“The report does highlight areas where further work is needed. These are all areas of which we are aware. As the inspection proves, we have a strong track record in making significant improvements and we are already well underway with work in these areas. They will remain a high priority in the coming year.”

“We look forward to demonstrating continued progress when the CQC visit our services again.”

The full report can be viewed here:  http://www.cqc.org.uk/provider/RY6