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24 October 2013

University Hospitals Bristol achieves lowest risk rating in Care Quality Commission’s new Intelligent Monitoring Report

University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (UH Bristol) has achieved the lowest risk rating in the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) first Intelligent Monitoring Report.

The report replaces the CQC's previous approach to monitoring the risk profile of individual trusts and is based on 150 individual indicators examining a broad range of factors including death rates across adults and children's services, patient experience, waiting times, staff views and leadership and governance of the Trust.

The CQC aims to publish the results at regular intervals, which will inform decisions about where they need to focus their inspections. Under the new hospital inspection regime all 161 trusts will have been inspected by December 2015.

Robert Woolley, chief executive of UH Bristol, said:

"Ensuring the quality of our services and the safety of our patients is our constant focus, and so we are very pleased that University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust has achieved the lowest risk rating (band 6) in the Care Quality Commission's first Intelligence Monitoring Report, with an overall risk score of 3 out of a possible 162. Just 37 of the 161 acute and specialist trusts included in the report achieved this rating and only three other Trusts in the South West region.

"The report does show that in 2012/13 there was a risk concerning the number of cases of MRSA at the Trust. However, actions taken by the Trust to address infection risks have had a significant impact with no case attributed to the Trust since May 2013.

 "The report also states that the Trust has an "elevated risk" under the CQC's alert to whistleblowing. This indicator reflects concerns about care that have been raised with the CQC by a member of the public, a patient or member of staff. One concern about UH Bristol's services was subsequently investigated by the CQC and closed without further action. Another concern, applicable to the NHS generally, was raised by a member of Trust staff and this remains open. The Trust has a Speaking Out (Whistleblowing) Policy  in place which positively encourages any member of staff who has a particular concern about the welfare of patients or staff to raise it with their manager or a member of senior staff.

"The Trust continues to work closely with patients, staff and partners to improve the quality of care and this report is a confirmation of the strong safety profile of the Trust."


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