Basildon hospital finally covers nurse shortages
Posted: October 21, 2013
Posted in: Medical Negligence
A total of £3m has been spent by Basildon hospital over the last two years in an attempt to fill the major nursing gaps that were causing it to struggle with providing high quality care. In July, Basildon hospital was placed under ‘special measures’ following the Keogh review, which uncovered the hospital’s worryingly high death rates, alongside many other hospitals. The review put these worrying figures down to the fact that the hospital was severely understaffed, which is now undergoing a ‘turnaround plan’.
The Essex-based hospital has recruited an extra 200 nurses over the last two years, which now makes for a workforce of over 4,000 health professionals. The majority of these newly recruited nurses are from the UK, providing vast employment for new and unemployed nurses.
As well as recruitment featuring in the ‘turnaround plan’, Basildon hospital has also completely reorganised its A&E department, paediatrics department, and new electronic screens have been installed in each ward to provide constant information about each patient – improving the hospital’s general efficiency.
“We will learn lots of lessons”
The director of nursing, Diane Sakar, believes the hospital has reached a turning point and that the recruitment of additional staff will allow the hospital to improve quickly. She said: “I am most proud of how the staff have learned from the criticism. Staff have really listened and have improved. We will learn lots of lessons.”
The hospital is also due to open an additional 28 beds in a temporary building to help cope with the expected winter rush. The Care Quality Commission is due to inspect the hospital soon, with their finding being published shortly after.
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