Watchdog orders action over poor hospital care

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has demanded immediate action over standards at Dewsbury and District Hospital.

The CQC issued a formal warning after inspectors made an unannounced visit on July 3, partly in response to information about the care of older people.

Patients on one ward were found to be waiting too long for buzzers to be answered and relatives were concerned that their loved ones were being left incontinent for “significant periods”.

Inspectors said patients were not being responded to properly or promptly.

They also reported that ward staff were “under considerable pressure” which meant they were not treating people with sufficient dignity, respect or consideration.

The head of Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Dewsbury Hospital, apologised “unreservedly” to patients.

Stephen Eames, interim chief executive, said: “We are taking this issue very seriously and we put an action plan in place as soon as we became aware of the CQC’s concerns to ensure care is safe and to a high standard.

“I can report that those responsible for the poor standards of care have been held to account and we have put new leadership in place.”

This is the latest crisis to hit Mid Yorkshire Hospitals, which is facing multi-million pound debts.