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RQIA Publishes RVH Inspection Report

Today, RQIA has published the findings of its acute hospital inspection of the Royal Victoria Hospital, which took place in December 2015 as part of RQIA’s ongoing programme of to provide assurance to the public about the quality of hospital services, and to contribute to improvements in the delivery of care.

Our inspection team included medical, nursing, pharmacy and allied health professional peer reviewers and lay assessors, led by RQIA’s healthcare team.  The team visited the Emergency Department, a medical ward and a surgical ward, where they spoke to patients, relatives and staff; observed how care was being delivered; and examined care records.

The findings of RQIA’s inspection of the Acute Medical Unit were good.  Governance and leadership were strong in the Emergency Department, however, crowding was an issue.  The inspection team found that improvements were needed in a surgical ward inspected, with deficits and gaps identified in service delivery.  At the end of the inspection, RQIA’s inspection team provided feedback to management at the Belfast Trust, highlighting both areas of good practice and concerns requiring attention by the trust.

RQIA recognises that increases in the number of admissions places additional pressure on staff in ensuring the provision of safe effective and compassionate care.  However, it is vitally important that this continues to be delivered even at times of such pressures.  We commend the committed, caring and sensitive staff at the Royal, who treat their patients with dignity.  We believe through our ongoing inspection programme, we can support further improvements in the quality of care for all those attending hospitals in Northern Ireland.

You can read the report here