Unions have reacted to a damning report in which inspectors ruled that Salford Royal and three other hospitals in Greater Manchester 'require improvement'. The Northern Care Alliance (NCA) was slammed in its first ever inspection since it started running hospitals in Bury, Salford, Oldham and Rochdale.
Emergency departments were deemed 'overcrowded' with patients cared for on corridors and not enough suitably qualified staff around to keep them safe. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said that staff work 'incredibly hard under pressure', but nurses often felt 'unsafe' on wards due to workforce shortages.
But staff said they did not always feel respected, supported or valued and some expressed reservations about raising concerns, while others did not always feel listened to, according to the CQC's head of hospital inspections. The NCA chiefs have thanked staff for their ongoing care and commitment at a time of 'unprecedented' demand, but said they accept the CQC's judgement.
