A SOUTHAMPTON hospital has been slammed for the services it provides for people with life-threatening conditions.

An inspection at Spire Southampton Hospital revealed the critical care unit which treats people with life-threatening conditions did not ensure infection risks were well controlled.

The revelations came to light in a report published on November 26 following an inspection earlier this year.

Similarly, staff were at risk of injury due to uneven flooring in parts of the building.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found evidence critical care consultants did not review patients twice a day.

Despite receiving an overall rating of “good”, safety standards and critical care services at the hospital in Chalybeate Close “require improvement”.

Diagnostic equipment was also shown to be over ten-years-old and staff working in inpatient wards, did not fully understand medical procedures.

Nursing staff in the critical care unit did not always follow local safety standards for invasive procedures such as giving injections.

The CQC reported there was a lack of strong leadership in the same unit who were not managing risks and delivering evidence-based care and treatment.

In the critical care service, there was a high dependence on the use of agency nurses which was above the recommended national rate.

The hospital in Chalybeate Close which is operated by Spire Healthcare has 67 beds including seven critical care beds. With a specialism in surgery, the hospital’s other facilities include six operating theatres, an oncology unit and diagnostic facilities.

However, inspectors also found areas of good practice across all services with evidence of staff treating patients with compassion and kindness, and respecting their privacy and dignity took account of their individual needs and helped them understand their conditions.

Fiona Taylor, Hospital Director at Spire Southampton, said: “We welcome the decision by the Care Quality Commission and are delighted to have maintained our overall good rating. Our hospital provides world-class care, attracting patients from across the South of England and internationally and we deliver the best cardiac surgery results in the country. We have undertaken prompt action and made significant investment to address the small number of issues raised in the report following the CQC inspection six months ago. All the necessary improvements have now been completed. As a hospital group, we are very proud of our sector leading record on inspections which shows more than 80% of our facilities are rated as good or outstanding by the regulators.”