The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its annual report for 2023/24 regarding the enforcement of the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations in England. The report details the number and types of errors related to accidental or unintentional exposure to ionising radiation by healthcare providers, with a total of 819 notifications received during the year. This represents a small proportion of over 30 million diagnostic imaging examinations and 116,000 radiotherapy treatments conducted in the same period. The report highlights recurring issues such as inadequate patient identity checks and staff shortages as contributing factors to these errors. Additionally, CQC found ongoing concerns regarding NHS hospital maternity services, revealing common safety issues and unchanged patient satisfaction levels since 2022, which remain lower than pre-pandemic figures. Furthermore, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting has responded to findings related to failures in individual patient care. The CQC's annual report on controlled drugs management has also been released, showcasing key insights gathered throughout the year. Lastly, Ian Trenholm, the Chief Executive of CQC, has announced his decision to step down from his position at the end of the month.
Fri, 27 Sep 2024 14:13:33 GMT | WiredGov