New hospital to slash number of beds after snap CQC inspection

The CQC made an unannounced visit to East Riding Community Hospital (ERCH) in Beverley last month, but has yet to complete its report and would not comment on its findings yesterday.

Humber NHS Foundation Trust said it had “agreed” to temporarily cut the hospital’s capacity from 30 beds to 12, and that it “had already identified and was managing both the training needs of the staff and also changes required to the building”.

The hospital opened its doors to patients on July 30, last year.

The trust said that since then “the hospital provider has had to face the challenges of an increasing proportion of patients and patients with more complex nursing needs”.

“This is due to the fact that our population is getting older as well as pressures in the acute hospital system and that more patients are now able to have their treatment closer to their own community.”

A spokeswoman added in a statement: “The trust puts the safety of patients in its care and the confidence of their carers at the heart of every decision we take and therefore we have taken the decision to temporarily reduce the number of beds available at the East Riding Community Hospital.”

Jane Hawkard, chief officer at NHS East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “The CCG is working closely with Humber Foundation Trust, the organisation that provides the services at the hospital, and other partners to look at how we can ensure that the unit is appropriately fully staffed and working to its capacity of 30 beds as soon as possible.

“We are also working with the provider and partners to ensure that the other community facilities in East Yorkshire are able to take their full capacity of patients.

“Where it is appropriate for their treatment and circumstances, patients are being referred to teams working within the community to help minimise the impact of the temporary reduction in beds at ERCH.

“Therapy resources have been increased in the community to allow this to happen.”

Other facilities and services at the hospital include outpatient clinics, a minor injuries unit and wheelchair assessments.

The CQC report is expected to be published within the next fortnight.