NHS Lanarkshire has welcomed Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s (HIS) report on care for older people in acute care at University Hospital Wishaw.

HIS today (Thursday 16 January 2020) published a report about its unannounced inspection to University Hospital Wishaw from Tuesday 22 to Thursday 24 October 2019.

Frances Dodd, NHS Lanarkshire’s Director of Acute Nursing, said: “The inspectors highlighted some of University Hospital Wishaw’s key strengths in providing a high standard of care to older people. For example, a good provision of snacks available to patients and pressure ulcer risk assessments were completed within the nationally required standard.”

NHS Lanarkshire has an ongoing programme of work to improve standards of record keeping and, in response to the findings of the report, the record keeping process has been reviewed to ensure it is more robust.

NHS Lanarkshire has also focussed on enhancing patient hydration and nutrition at each of the three acute hospitals.

Frances said: “We were encouraged that the vast majority of care provided met patients’ needs. While there were many positives in the report, we welcome the findings from the inspectors on further areas for improvement.

“The care we provide to older people remains a key priority and, as such, we have put in place a detailed action plan to address the areas identified by the inspection.”