SENIOR NHS officials made an unannounced visit to check wards at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital after an inquest jury found serious failures and staff shortages led to the death of an 89-year-old Ditton Priors patient.
They found no evidence of “inappropriate” staffing levels and the team was “reassured” systems were in place to prevent further tragedies.
The visit by NHS Telford and Wrekin director of nursing Pam Bickley, and the trust’s head of clinical governance, Helen Couth, was triggered by the inquest last month into the death of Mr Francis Steele.
He died two weeks after falling out of bed at the hospital in November 2007.
Coroner Mr John Ellery said that unless bosses at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust changed procedures there was a risk of more deaths.
Mrs Bickley presented the findings of her visit to the NHS Telford and Wrekin board last week. The report said staff on every ward were able to cite bed rail policy and every one of the 10 wards visited was assessed regarding the use of rails.
None of the wards used agency nurses and where bank nurses were being used, they regularly worked on those wards and so were a useful member of the team.
‘Only one ward visited had reduced staffing levels and a contingency plan had been put in place,’ said the report. It concluded: ‘Following the inspection, the director of nursing, and the head of clinical governance, felt reassured that systems and processes were in place to minimise the risks to patients falling out of bed.’
No evidence was found of inappropriate staffing levels.