Care Quality Commission drops probe into Queen Alexandra Hospital due to 'insufficient evidence'

The Care Quality Commission’s deputy chief inspector of hospitals had launched a probe into the Cosham hospital over an incident involving ‘significant harm’.

As reported in January, Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust board papers the CQC was investigating the patient safety incident and whether there was a breach of the trust’s duties such that it would ‘merit use of the commission’s powers of prosecution’.

But now a CQC spokesman confirmed ‘insufficient evidence’ has seen the investigation dropped.

A hospital trust spokeswoman said: ‘Keeping our patients and our staff safe is always our top priority.

‘We have worked closely with the Care Quality Commission to support their investigation.

‘As part of our ongoing work across the Trust, we continue looking at ways to improve and identify any areas we could benefit from strengthening.’

Nigel Acheson, from the CQC, previously said: ‘In response to serious concerns raised to CQC, we are collating evidence and are in discussions with Portsmouth NHS Trust.

‘Alongside our responsibilities to families and loved ones, we have a legal duty to investigate potential failures to provide safe care or treatment resulting in avoidable harm or a significant risk of avoidable harm.’

Both the CQC and hospital trust have refused to disclose what happened. It’s understood no-one died in the incident.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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