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Significant improvements have been found at an orthopaedic treatment centre in West Sussex after inspectors earlier highlighted serious concerns, the Healthcare Commission reports.
Systems to prevent serious incidents had been rated substandard, together with gaps in staff training, management practices and hygiene procedures at the Sussex Orthopaedic Treatment Centre.
But a follow-up inspection has found progress in managing serious incidents and staff training, and most of the key recommendations had been acted upon and in some cases exceeded.
The centre, run by Care UK, is an independent-sector treatment centre providing orthopaedic surgery such as hip and knee replacements to NHS patients at the Princess Royal Hospital site in Haywards Heath.
Nigel Ellis, the commission’s head of investigations, said: “We are satisfied that Sussex Orthopaedic NHS Treatment Centre has now made vital improvements to its service, and that the safety of patients is not compromised.”
Mike Parish, chief executive officer of Care UK, said: “The centre performs very well, with a recent patient survey showing that all patients were satisfied with the service – 95% of patients rated overall care as very good or excellent, and there has never been a case of MRSA acquired in a Care UK centre.”
Copyright PA Business 2008
