Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust
NHS / Health Body
Action Planned
The Trust shared a briefing paper with its commissioners detailing what would be required to deliver paediatric critical care, including an additional evening ward round, and is aiming to deliver twice daily consultant ward rounds and paediatric high dependency care by Winter 2019. (AI summary)
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Dear Madam Marcie Joan Tadman - Response to Regulation 28 Report
Please see the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust’s response to the Regulation 28 Report issued on 1st April 2019.
1) There is no second consultant ward round on the Paediatric Ward
The Trust has identified that an additional consultant evening session (4 hours) would be required each day to enable it to deliver a second ward round which would not only encompass new admissions but any patient about whom a concern had been raised, including patients receiving critical care. This is not a change in practice that the Trust has been able to deliver immediately. The ability to do this is directly linked to the provision of a Paediatric Critical Care Unit and therefore the plans outlined below presented to the commissioners take clear account of a second ward round being integral to this development.
As the Learned Coroner also raised concern about the lack of a permanent paediatric High Dependency Unit (referred to here as Paediatric Critical Care), the Trust has, on 21st May 2019, shared a briefing paper with its commissioners, detailing what would be required to deliver paediatric critical care. This sets out a requirement to do the following:
1. Increase in medical staffing to provide an additional evening ward round.
2. Increase in nursing staffing to ensure rota can provide a 0.5:1 ratio for a Paediatric Critical Care Unit.
3. Invest in additional equipment, eg monitoring.
4. Redesign the ward to establish a fit for purpose Paediatric Critical Care Unit on the children’s ward.
If the Trust’s Commissioners are satisfied with the Trust’s proposals, the RUH are aiming to deliver not only twice daily consultant ward rounds, but paediatric high dependency care by Winter 2019. The position of the Commissioners will be set out in their response to the Regulation 28 Report forwarded to them, however, if they HM Senior Coroner for Avon Coroner’s Court Old Weston Road Flax Bourton BS48 1UL Directors Office Royal United Hospital Combe Park Bath BA1 3NG
Tel: 01225 824032
… … were not in a position to support the Trust’s paediatric critical care plans, the Trust would still be looking for additional funding to support twice daily consultant ward rounds.
The RUH would like to offer its assurances that it continues to review the other actions and improvements identified during this tragic inquest and it is satisfied that the improvements already made to matters such as handover documentation have increased the safety of the children on the paediatric ward.
The Trust is willing to provide a further update in relation to the progress that has been made concerning twice daily consultant ward rounds and the creation of a critical care unit in six months’ time, if that would provide additional reassurance to the Court and Marcie’s family.
We trust that this response offers you sufficient assurances in relation to our actions following the Inquest into this tragic case.
Please see the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust’s response to the Regulation 28 Report issued on 1st April 2019.
1) There is no second consultant ward round on the Paediatric Ward
The Trust has identified that an additional consultant evening session (4 hours) would be required each day to enable it to deliver a second ward round which would not only encompass new admissions but any patient about whom a concern had been raised, including patients receiving critical care. This is not a change in practice that the Trust has been able to deliver immediately. The ability to do this is directly linked to the provision of a Paediatric Critical Care Unit and therefore the plans outlined below presented to the commissioners take clear account of a second ward round being integral to this development.
As the Learned Coroner also raised concern about the lack of a permanent paediatric High Dependency Unit (referred to here as Paediatric Critical Care), the Trust has, on 21st May 2019, shared a briefing paper with its commissioners, detailing what would be required to deliver paediatric critical care. This sets out a requirement to do the following:
1. Increase in medical staffing to provide an additional evening ward round.
2. Increase in nursing staffing to ensure rota can provide a 0.5:1 ratio for a Paediatric Critical Care Unit.
3. Invest in additional equipment, eg monitoring.
4. Redesign the ward to establish a fit for purpose Paediatric Critical Care Unit on the children’s ward.
If the Trust’s Commissioners are satisfied with the Trust’s proposals, the RUH are aiming to deliver not only twice daily consultant ward rounds, but paediatric high dependency care by Winter 2019. The position of the Commissioners will be set out in their response to the Regulation 28 Report forwarded to them, however, if they HM Senior Coroner for Avon Coroner’s Court Old Weston Road Flax Bourton BS48 1UL Directors Office Royal United Hospital Combe Park Bath BA1 3NG
Tel: 01225 824032
… … were not in a position to support the Trust’s paediatric critical care plans, the Trust would still be looking for additional funding to support twice daily consultant ward rounds.
The RUH would like to offer its assurances that it continues to review the other actions and improvements identified during this tragic inquest and it is satisfied that the improvements already made to matters such as handover documentation have increased the safety of the children on the paediatric ward.
The Trust is willing to provide a further update in relation to the progress that has been made concerning twice daily consultant ward rounds and the creation of a critical care unit in six months’ time, if that would provide additional reassurance to the Court and Marcie’s family.
We trust that this response offers you sufficient assurances in relation to our actions following the Inquest into this tragic case.