Falkirk hospital inspection found ‘poor’ health records

The findings, released today, follow an inspection in early December which also disclosed “a lack of person-centred care plans to provide sufficient information to guide care”.

NHS Forth Valley says it has already taken steps to remedy these faults.

Last year concerns about Falkirk Community Hospital led health managers to create an “oversight group” to keep an eye on things, and NHS Forth Valley chief executuve Cathie Cowan has also given a commitment to replace the hospital with a new fit-for-purpose building.

Despite some negative findings in the most recent report the inspection again found several positives, following on from a similar report last year.

Ian Smith, Head of Quality of Care at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “During our inspection we found that hydration assessments were well completed for all patients, ensuring patients receive appropriate fluid management.

“All patients we spoke with were complimentary about the standard of care and the quality of the food provided”.

However it also found administrative faults.

The report notes: “NHS Forth Valley must ensure that person-centred care plans for patients are regularly evaluated and updated to reflect changes in the patient’s condition or needs.

“The care plans should also reflect that patients are involved in care and treatment decisions”.

It also stated: “NHS Forth Valley must ensure that person-centred care plans for patients are regularly evaluated and updated to reflect changes in the patient’s condition or needs”.

Inspectors spoke with 18 patients and five relatives or carers, and received completed questionnaires from 23 patients as well as eight family members, carers or friends.

They also reviewed 15 patient health records to check the care they observed was as described in the care plans.

A spokesperson for NHS Forth Valley said: “Staff always aim to provide compassionate, high quality care and we are pleased that the inspectors saw many examples of older people being treated with the dignity, respect and privacy they deserve during the visit.

“They also noted that local staff were friendly and approachable and interactions between patients and staff were positive. “All of the patients who were interviewed were very complimentary about the standard of their care and felt that their needs were being met.

“We recognise that there were issues in the way information was recorded in a number of care assessment and planning documents however action has already been taken to address this”.