Our Chair's response to the CQC's 'State of care in NHS acute hospitals' report

Between September 2013 and June 2016 the CQC completed inspections of all 136 NHS acute non-specialist trusts and all 17 specialist trusts.

They found that most hospitals are delivering good quality care and looking after patients well. But they also found that some trusts have blind spots about the quality of care they provide in particular services, even in some trusts rated good overall.

Responding to the The state of care in NHS acute hospitals report, Jane Mordue, Chair of Healthwatch England, said:

"From the thousands of conversations the Healthwatch network has had with people it is clear that patients, relatives and carers are all recognising the same sorts of pressures as the inspectors.

"People tell us they can see how hard the doctors, nurses and other key professionals are working but that if things continue the way they are they are worried about staff burnout.

"As hospitals, and indeed the rest of the health and care sector, look to change the way they deliver care it is vital that they talk to their patients and wider local communities. Today's report echoes this sentiment highlighting that those who have succeeded in transforming things have done it by developing a strong learning culture, and where better to start than by learning directly from the experiences of the people who actually use the hospital?"