A HOSPITAL in the region has achieved the gold standard in the care it delivers to patients.
Staff at Annan Cottage Hospital say they are ‘ecstatic’ after being recognised with Gold Level 3 Care Assurance – following a series of unannounced inspections.
Carole Shannon is Senior Charge Nurse at the facility on Stapleton Road in Annan, and she said: “Everyone was just absolutely ecstatic when the news came through.
“This award is about measuring the quality of care being delivered in Dumfries and Galloway, and it’s really just a fantastic confirmation of the excellent quality of care that we strive to deliver at Annan Cottage Hospital.
“It takes a lot of work to deliver that standard of care, and we’re committed to maintain this work in order to provide the best care we possibly can.”
A series of unannounced inspections took place looking at a range of aspects within the hospital’s performance, including food, fluids and nutritional standards as well as pressure ulcer standards.
Annan Cottage Hospital had already achieved Bronze and Silver Level 3 Care Assurance, with this latest grade representing the highest possible level of care.
Across Dumfries and Galloway, work has taken place to develop ways of measuring performance through a Care Assurance framework – adapting measures which were developed by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
The Excellence in Care framework is a national approach to develop and implement a world class evidence–based, national method to assuring nursing and midwifery care that reflects the ‘Once for Scotland’ ethos.
The approach seeks to improve, integrate and co- ordinate the way nursing and midwifery services are delivered within the Scottish public sector to ensure everyone receives a consistent standard and quality service.
Excellence in Care is intended to ensure that people who use services within NHS Scotland can have the confidence that no matter where they are cared for, they will consistently receive high quality nursing care delivered in a compassionate way by confident and competent nurses and midwives.
General Manager for Community Health and Social Care Graham Abrines said: “This is a fantastic achievement by the highly committed and conscientious staff at Annan Cottage Hospital, and recognises the exemplary quality of care which they are delivering, day in and day out.
“A lot of hard work is required to deliver care at this gold standard level, but the team are determined to ensure that this quality is continued – to the benefit of every patient who visits Annan Cottage Hospital.”