A private hospital in Knowsley which was told to improve by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) claims inspectors were looking in a “decommissioned room” when they found damp, dust and out-of-date medicine.
In an inspection report published earlier this week about Aset Hospital in Whiston, inspectors noted “visible damp”, dust on an extraction grill and medicine past its use-by date were all observed during their visit in December last year.
However, a spokesperson for the cosmetic surgery hospital has claimed the issues were found in a room that was not being used and had been put out of action ahead of building maintenance.
READ MORE: Schoolgirls in tears as male teachers 'inspect skirt length' in uniform row
Inspectors stated there were issues around safety, responsiveness to people’s needs and leadership at the facility, noting completion rates for staff training were as low as 10% in some modules, some case notes were lacking in “key information” and issues around responsiveness to individual patients’ needs were found.
The report stated problems with “infection control” relating to visible damp in one clinical room and dust on a grill on the ceiling of an operating theatre, with one fridge found containing medicine that was out of date and without evidence of temperature checks being carried out.
The hospital spokesperson told the ECHO that there had been a “misunderstanding” during the visit.
The spokesperson said: “The team at Aset Hospital values the CQC role in maintaining safe and high-quality health care.
“Prior to CQC inspection, we have been engaged fully and welcomed the CQC team.
“However, there was misunderstanding on the day of inspection, as it was the day that the hospital started building maintenance, the damp and the dust was in a room which had been decommissioned for weeks prior to the visit, hence was the building maintenance.
“The out-of-date medicine was a hand gel in the same room. The whole contents of that room has been destroyed prior to the building repair.”
The spokesperson said the hospital had been “engaged with CQC to rectify the misunderstanding” since the publication of the report and to “implement the advice from CQC inspectors” adding: “An action plan has been agreed with CQC today, to submit our reply and arrange for another inspection soon.”
When contacted by the ECHO about the hospital’s claims, a CQC spokesperson confirmed the hospital had contacted it with concerns over the report and that comments had been “taken into consideration” before the report was published.
The CQC spokesperson said: “CQC has been contacted by ASET Hospital, run by Hassan Shaaban Limited, to raise concerns about the CQC inspection report published in February.
“As with all inspection reports, the provider had an opportunity to raise any inaccuracies during the factual accuracy process and the provider’s comments had been reviewed and taken into consideration prior to the publication of the final report.”
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
READ NEXT
Mum buying 100 Lidl cucumbers 'barred' after manager runs over
'Wolf of Old Hall Street' took his own life after being unable to escape money troubles
Couple stuck in deep freeze because they can't top up gas money
